Chat For a Day
by clslovegood47
Summary: Adrien Agreste is done with being called "perfect". He decides to take matters into his own hands and let Chat Noir bleed into his civilian life.
1. I'm Not Perfect

While I know I should be working on my other fic "Please Tell Me I'm Awake Right Now", this idea popped into my head, and I had to write it down.

Enjoy the first installment of "Chat for a Day".

Any and all comments are greatly appreciated. They fuel my fire to keep writing about these two adorable, lovesick dorks.

I cross-post on AO3 and on Tumblr.

Tumblr: gryffindorcls (I will be posting my fics to the "Princess In Training" blog)

AO3: clslovegood47

I own nothing but the plot.

* * *

**I'm Not Perfect**

Adrien walked by two girls who were gawking at his latest spread in Teen Vogue.

"Oh my God! He's just so perfect," he heard one of them squeal.

Ugh.

There it was. That word again.

_Perfect. _

"I'm not perfect," Adrien mumbled under his breath as he quickly distanced himself from his fangirls.

Didn't those girls know that none of what they saw was real? Those smiles were fake. Those scenes were fake. Everything was fake. It was all directed, airbrushed, and retouched. He didn't even find it endearing when someone told him he was perfect.

He was so tired of being called "perfect". Every single day was an exhausting blur of keeping up appearances. His father expected him to be nothing less than the perfect model, the perfect gentlemen, the perfect student, and the perfect son. He was so tired of that stupid word.

For once he wished that the world could know him as he truly wanted to be. He was seldom granted the opportunity to simply be himself.

Nino occasionally saw glimpses of his carefree and outrageous personality; however, his best friend was (unfortunately) his sounding board for all his complaints about his father. Typically, the young DJ dealt with an Adrien who's daily mood vacillated between annoyed and remorseful. Nino was a saint for having to put up with the grumpiness that stemmed from Adrien's never-ending disappointment.

No, the only one who saw him for who he truly was (and who he wanted to be all the time) was Ladybug.

Ahhhh...Ladybug. His first love. His lady. His everything.

If only his lady was open to listening to details regarding his personal life. He couldn't help but think about how much easier his everyday activities would be if he could talk to Ladybug outside the mask. She _definitely _didn't think he was perfect, but (if he had to guess) she at least thought of him as a friend.

Snapping himself out of his reverie, Adrien briskly walked across the courtyard, down the stairs, and towards his car. As he slid into his seat, he turned around only to see the same group of girls still gushing over his pictures.

Adrien sighed and closed the car door.

* * *

At 9:00 that evening, Adrien called for his transformation and hopped out his bedroom window. Finally, he was free to be himself. When he was Chat Noir, he was everything he wanted to be. He was no longer "Adrien Agreste: Perfect Poster Child". No, he was just Adrien.

Other than spending time with Ladybug, being Chat Noir was the greatest thing in Adrien's life. He loved the feeling of the wind rushing past his face as he leaped across the rooftops. Whenever he was transformed he knew that being a miraculous holder was part of his destiny. He was born to do this.

Chat stopped at his and Ladybug's meeting place and took in his surroundings. He never wanted to take Paris' beauty for granted. He smiled as the lights on the Eiffel Tower twinkled in the darkness.

Shortly after arriving, Chat heard the familiar zinging sound from his partner's yo-yo in the distance. He sat criss-cross on the edge of the roof and rested his head in his hands.

When Ladybug landed on the rooftop, she greeted him. "Good evening, Chaton."

Chat whipped his head around and beamed, "Why hello, my lady. It's certainly good now that you have graced us with your presence."

Ladybug squinted.

"What's wrong?" she asked brusquely.

"Why would you think there was something wrong?" he replied. Chat chuckled nervously after his response.

"Chat," she began, "you think that I don't know when something is off? Happy Chat would be bouncing on the balls of his feet and punning at every opportunity. Angry Chat has his fists clenched at his sides and his teeth gritted. Sleepy Chat has a distant look in his eyes and a droopy smile. But sad Chat? Sad Chat is quiet except when he is addressed. When you talk to sad Chat you can tell that he's covering up his sadness like it's a secret, but you know that it's all an act. Happy Chat has a smile that lights up a whole room. Sad Chat has a smile that never reaches his eyes."

"Well, I guess there's no hiding anything from you."

"Nope! I see _right _through your BS. I can cut it like butter."

Chat snorted. "And pray tell, my lady, exactly how did you come to these conclusions?"

Ladybug sat down next to him. "When I actually take the time to observe others, reading them becomes pretty easy, but I'm by no means perfect at it. Sometimes I make snap judgments. Like this one time, I met this new kid in my class, and I totally thought he was a snobby, rich brat. Turns out I was really, _REALLY _wrong about that, but usually I'm on the mark. I can always tell when someone is lying."

"Really? You think you're that good?"

"Not to toot my own horn, but yeah. There's this girl in my school who lies about everything, and I mean everything. She lies about things she doesn't even need to lie about, and she has everyone else eating out of the palm of her hand. Except for the one boy who I once thought was a brat. As I said before, I was _definitely wrong_ about him."

"I know someone like that," Chat added, "Someone who lies all the time, I mean. I don't think I would have known it unless she hadn't gotten caught in one of her lies. There's this one girl in my class who can always tell when she's lying. I wish I had that ability sometimes. The girl who lies is such an awful person, and she's always hanging on me. She keeps telling me how she needs me and how perfect I am. UGH!"

Chat slumped over and buried his face in his hands.

"Well, that seems to have struck a nerve," Ladybug mused, "Would I be wrong in thinking that what you just said has something to do with what's bothering you?"

"No," he mumbled into his hands.

Ladybug rolled her eyes. "What did I just say about being able to tell when someone is lying?"

Chat offered a grunt and an incoherent grumble as his response.

Would you like to talk about it?" she asked with an understanding smile.

Chat lifted his head and met her eyes. "_God, she's amazing," _Chat thought.

"You don't want us divulging too much about our civilian lives, and I don't know how I can talk about this without going into detail," he responded.

"Well, the last time you went on patrol upset you got distracted and vaulted into the side of a chimney. Don't get me wrong. It was hilarious, but you were kind of useless after. Just laying there on the ground...moaning."

"Wow," Chat said with no intonation in his voice, "you really do care, my lady."

Ladybug laughed. How he loved the sound of her laugh. "But in all seriousness, Chat. I really do _actually_ care about you. I don't like to see you sad. It's just not right for a soul as pure as yours to have any darkness in his features. You're my partner. You're one of my best friends, Chaton."

He was floored. He had always hoped that Ladybug considered him at least a friend. While he was hopelessly in love with her and wanted nothing more than to take her out on a date, hearing that she considered him a best friend was incredible. Being friends is always a great place to start.

"You really mean that?" Chat asked hesitantly.

Ladybug rolled her eyes. "Of course I do. Why do you always do that? Think you're this worthless, expendable human being. I don't know who caused you to have such low self-esteem, but if I ever find out who it is, I will not hesitate to kick someone's butt."

This made Chat laugh...hard. Ladybug joined him. The thought of Ladybug kicking Gabriel Agreste's butt was too much for him to handle.

After several breathless minutes of side-splitting laughter, Ladybug wiped the involuntary tears away from her face and said, "Chat, won't you at least try to tell me what's wrong?"

Chat groaned. "Fine!" he said throwing his hands into the air, "I'll try. But if I accidentally give away my identity, it's your fault, not mine."

"It's fine. I'm sure what you have to say can't actually be all that revealing."

"I dunno, Bug. I don't exactly live what you'd call a normal life."

Ladybug shot him an incredulous look.

Chat crossed his arms. "No, I'm serious. In my day to day life, I may or may not be kind of...famous."

Ladybug raised an eyebrow. "Famous? Really? Are you sure?"

"Trust me," Chat responded, "I and my 20 million Instagram followers are one hundred percent sure."

"So, you're Insta-famous?" she smirked.

Chat sighed. "A little more than that. I may or may not have been in a movie, been interviewed for television and magazines, and kind of super-rich."

Chat looked at her and waited for a response with bated breath.

Ladybug simply nodded after a minute of processing the information. "You know, surprisingly, I'm not actually all that shocked. I can see it. You do have a larger than life personality."

"That's just it. I act almost nothing like this outside the mask. I'm a tad repressed, and quite honestly I feel like a total social outcast most of the time," Chat explained.

"Oh, come on. You can't be _that _different. Like, I know that being Ladybug gives me a bit of a confidence boost, and I'm way more coordinated with the spots...but I'm not a completely different person," she retorted.

Chat shook his head. "I'm not saying that I'm a different person. That's not it at all. There are just certain expectations that I have to meet outside the mask. Because I'm a well-known public figure I can't really act how I want to act all the time. My dad also keeps me pretty isolated, so not a lot of people know what I'm like in private. I have a best friend, but I don't get to see him all that much. My dad doesn't like him."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Ladybug scooched closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Who I get to be as Chat Noir is who I am inside my head all the time. Sometimes I wish I could just get over this compulsive need to not disappoint anyone and be myself," he sighed.

"Why do you think anyone would be disappointed if you acted like _you_? I'm not disappointed with you. Yes, I've been frustrated with you a few times, but you're still pretty awesome. I know for a fact that I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. I can honestly say that you make me a better person." Ladybug offered Chat her biggest, most sincere smile.

Chat blushed and turned his head. He could feel the prickling heat of tears threatening to spill from his eyes.

He let a small chuckle escape his lips. "My lady, you have no idea how much I needed to hear that. Usually, I have girls fawning over me. They tell me I'm _perfect_. I just want someone to look past my stupid pretty face and my stupid shiny hair. I want to be more than just some teen heartthrob who has some pictures in a magazine. I just want someone to know me...the _real_ _me_."

"You know, you kind of remind me of that boy I once thought was a spoiled brat. He also lives a pretty sheltered life. He's so busy all the time, and he often has the same sad smile as you did tonight. His dad is really strict, too. He doesn't have the most self-esteem, and I think he gets kind of nervous in new social settings," Ladybug said wistfully.

Chat looked at Ladybug. "My lady, that is the third time you've mentioned this boy tonight."

Ladybug chuckled nervously. "Yeah, he's kind of a constant presence in my life. His best friend is dating my best friend, and I think we're pretty good friends ourselves...I hope."

The creeping blush that spread across his lady's face did not go unnoticed.

"No," he said with disbelief, "is this the guy you like? Are you finally telling me about this infamous 'other boy' you keep talking about?"

"Maybe," Ladybug said as her blush intensified.

"Oh my God, IT IS!" he exclaimed.

"Kitty, no," she shook her head, "I'm _not _going to tell you about the boy I like. That would be mean."

"Come on," he teased, "I told you about my crush!"

"Yeah, me."

"That's right."

"Chat, no. You're my friend. I don't want to hurt you. That's unfair."

"Uh, no. Unfair is that I know nothing about my competition."

"Chat!" Ladybug pouted.

Chat sat up and comically held one finger in the air as he stated, "Bugaboo, I have confidence that one day you will wake up and realize that it was me you were destined to be with all along, but until that day I will help you with your boy problems." He dropped his hand back at his side and grinned.

"Ugh, Chat, _no_," she buried her face in her hands, "I told you that I love him. What makes you think that I would drop him and go out with you?"

"Well, we have kissed," he shot her a toothy grin.

Her mouth hung open momentarily before responding. "We were under the influence of an Akuma! Both times!"

He sighed. "Ladybug, my feelings and all kidding aside. All I want is for you to be happy. If being with this other boy makes you happy, let's hear about him."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm paw-sitive."

She bit her lip and blushed again. "Well, a lot of people think he's perfect. I would be lying if I said that I didn't think parts of him are perfect...like I don't think normal humans are supposed to have hair that nice."

Chat nodded and gestured for her to continue.

"But as a whole, he's perfectly imperfect," she stated.

"Perfectly imperfect," he repeated, "I like that."

"He did not make a good first impression...AT ALL," Ladybug winced, "However, he went out of his way to apologize for something that wasn't his fault. He even admitted to me his insecurities when it comes to making friends. He's kind of oblivious, and he doesn't always give the best advice. He trusts and forgives way too easily, but all of that is overshadowed by his kindness. I've never met someone so willing to help others without question or hesitation."

"He sounds...pretty cool," Chat remarked quietly.

"Yeah," she shrugged, "he is pretty cool, but I am definitely not cool around him."

"How so?"

"Every time I see him my brain stops working, and I get all tongue-tied and stuttery, and I'm just a mess. It's not that I'm intimidated. I think I just have trouble processing my feelings. I get too caught up in myself. He's so patient, but he probably thinks I'm a total spaz."

"Honestly, I doubt he does. Trust me, I speak from experience," he said shaking his head.

Ladybug looked confused. "What kind of experience?"

"Well," he began, "there's this girl in my class who stumbles over her words a lot. Strangely, it only seems to happen when she's around me. She doesn't do it all the time, but when she does it's kind of endearing. Yes, it's a little weird sometimes, but it's overall not that bad. I think she just has problems with anxiety, and she seems to be working through it. I've seen her stand up for others, be completely selfless, and incredibly fierce. She kind of reminds me of you sometimes."

"And she only stutters around you?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure she doesn't have a crush on you?"

Chat shook his head and waved his hands. "No. I know she doesn't."

"How can you be so sure?" Ladybug questioned.

"Because," he said with a hint of sadness in his voice, "I know she loves someone else."

Ladybug squinted and pressed her tongue into her cheek. "Are you sure _you _don't have a crush on her?"

"No, my lady," he said confidently, "My heart belongs to you."

"Uh, huh," she responded, "You know you can like more than one person at the same time right?"

Chat's heart thumped a little harder in his chest, and he swallowed. "It's a thought I would rather not entertain right now. It's already confusing enough in my brain."

"Fine," Ladybug dismissed nonchalantly, "I'll let it go, but maybe it would do you some good to look for love elsewhere. You deserve to be happy, as well, Chat."

"Thanks, my lady."

A comfortable silence fell between them. The sounds of the city below sang a soft, peaceful melody. The crisp autumn air swirled around their huddled forms and caused the duo to move closer together.

Chat broke the silence. "You know what would make me _really_ happy?"

"What?" Ladybug hummed.

"If I could walk into school tomorrow and act like Chat, I would be ecstatic."

"Then why don't you?"

"Uh...because?"

"That's not a good enough reason."

Chat frowned. "Because if I acted how I wanted to act all the time, then my dad would probably disown me."

"Then just do it at school," she suggested.

"My friends would probably freak out."

"So! If they were your real friends, then they would accept you for who you are. Besides, it's not like you're a terrible person. You're generous, polite, and a gentleman. You don't always have the best timing with your puns, but you're a good person. The people in your life should count themselves lucky to have someone like you as their friend."

He felt breathless. Did his lady really think so highly of him?

"Thank you for the compliments, Bugaboo," he smiled.

"It's the truth."

Chat thought for a moment. "_It would be fun to let loose."_

"You know what," he began, "I think I'll do it."

Ladybug beamed. "Good."

"BUT…I'll only do it if you use some of your Ladybug confidence around this mystery guy of yours," Chat teased.

"What!" she squeaked, "No, I can't."

"Ladybug, you just said that the mask doesn't change who you are. It may make you stronger and faster, but it doesn't make you a different person. The mask helped me become who I really am inside. Let it help you with your boy problem."

She pursed her lips and fixed her gaze into the distance. "Fine!" she eventually blurted, "I'll try it."

"And tomorrow we'll come back here and tell each other all about our day," he grinned.

"You're just looking for an excuse to spend more time with me, aren't you?" she asked flatly.

"Me? Pssh! No," he said sarcastically.

She threw her hands into the air. "You just told me to go talk to the boy I like. That makes no sense."

"Well, we're still friends, aren't we?" he asked with kitten eyes.

Her expression softened. "Yeah, kitty. We're still friends, and friends hang out."

Chat smiled. "Thank you."

"Come on, let's start patrol."

"Sounds good, my lady!"

Ladybug unsheathed her yoyo and readied herself. She threw her weapon to the next rooftop and leaped into the night. Chat followed her.

"Besides," he called out to her in midair, "I'm still confident that one day you'll love me back."

"Chat!" Ladybug called out angrily before landing.

He stopped next to her and chuckled. "_Tomorrow's going to be a great day."_


	2. I'm Gonna Kill Him

Thank you all for continuing to read! Your comments fueled me to pump out another chapter of this today. I appreciate every single one. You are all amazing and incredible!

For those of you waiting for my next chapter of "Please Tell Me I'm Awake Right Now", it is coming soon! Have no fear!

Enjoy the second chapter of "Chat For A Day".  
-

I cross-post on AO3 and on Tumblr.

Tumblr: gryffindorcls (I will be posting my fics to the "Princess In Training" blog)

AO3: clslovegood47

I own nothing but the plot.

* * *

**I'm Gonna Kill Him**

Adrien woke up thirty minutes before his alarm was set to go off. He tried to go back to sleep, but the knowledge of what his day had in store made him vibrate with excitement. He felt _extremely_ awake.

Much to Plagg's chagrin, Adrien sat up mulling over his plan. Everything was ready. Last night, Adrien spent hours looking up new puns and jokes. Before going to bed, he had messed with his hair in the bathroom mirror to find the perfect balance between his usual style and Chat Noir's. Even his clothes were laid out on the couch. He found it amazing (and a little sad) how effortless his personality shone through when he was transformed and how difficult it was to execute in his civilian form. Nonetheless, he was ready.

"Kid," Plagg grumbled, "go back to sleep. It's too early for all this nonsense."

"I'm already up, Plagg," Adrien responded, "Besides, you're just going to sleep in my bag all day."

"It's not the same as the bed and you know it!" the Kwami shouted as Adrien shut the door to the bathroom.

As Adrien got ready for the day, he could feel a slowly building nervousness settling in his gut. After showering, he pulled on a pair of black jeans, a white t-shirt, and a black overshirt. He carefully styled his hair and sprayed it into place with plenty of product. Once he was satisfied with his look, he slipped on a pair of bright green converses and sauntered out of the bathroom.

"So, how do I look?" Adrien asked hesitantly.

"You look like you should have already gotten me some cheese," Plagg said crossing his arms.

Adrien glared at his Kwami. "Plagg!"

The tiny being scoffed. "Ugh, fine. You look like you, Adrien. I don't know why you're trying so hard."

"I just want to get this right."

"Isn't the whole point of today for you to have fun?"

"I want to look the part. I want to be authentic."

Plagg threw his hands into the air. "You are Chat Noir!"

"Yeah, but everyone else doesn't know that," Adrien responded with a snarky tone.

"Whatever, kid. Just let loose and be yourself."

"I'm trying!"

Plagg flew away and landed on Adrien's desk. "Today is definitely going to be an interesting day," he grumbled.

Adrien walked over to his Kwami. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You'll see," Plagg teased.

"Well, that's annoyingly vague." Adrien rolled his eyes.

"I am thousands of years old. I don't need to be clear."

"It doesn't matter. We need to go. Could you get in my bag?"

"Is there cheese in there?"

"Yes."

Plagg zoomed into the bag without responding. Adrien gathered his belongings and walked out the door. He was ready for this.

* * *

Marinette was NOT ready for this. She spent most of the previous night panicking amidst Tikki's pleas for her to go to bed. Sleep evaded her almost the entire night. While laying under her comforter, she played out hundreds of scenarios in her mind. After sleeping for about four hours, Marinette woke up frazzled, nervous, and bleary-eyed.

"Tikki," she groaned, "I think I'm dying."

"Oh, Marinette," her Kwami sighed, "You're not dying. Just come home and take a nap during your lunch break."

Marinette yawned. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea."

Tikki flew over to her chosen and patted her comfortingly on the cheek. Marinette's eyes suddenly grew wide.

"Except I can't come back here!" she exclaimed, "I have to talk to ADRIEN. Why did I let Chat talk me into this?"

"You don't have to do anything that you don't want to do," Tikki stated.

"No, that's not it. I _WANT _to do this. Do you know how badly I just want to be normal around Adrien? It's going to take a miracle though."

Tikki turned her head and mumbled, "Yeah, be careful what you wish for."

Marinette gave her Kwami a confused look. "What?"

"Nothing, Marinette," Tikki brushed it off, "Let's just try to have a good day."

The teen squinted. "O...kay."

Marinette walked over to her mirror and attempted to smooth out her bedhead. She applied some eyeliner and a pop of lipgloss.

She then opened her closet and scanned her choices. As an aspiring designer, Marinette knew how the right clothes could give you a much-needed confidence boost. She decided to channel her inner Ladybug and put on a red, knee-length dress. She paired it with black leggings and black flats. She looked in the mirror and took a deep breath.

"_You can do this_," she thought to herself, "_You are Ladybug. You just need to be YOURSELF_."

"You look great, Marinette," Tikki broke through the silence, "but you should really get going because if you wait any longer…"

"You're going to be late! It's time to go to school!" a distant third voice cut off the Kwami.

Marinette looked at the time on her phone and gasped.

"Oh, no! Not again!" she exclaimed.

Tikki zoomed into her purse. She then picked up her belongings and bounded down the stairs. Finally, she grabbed a pastry without stopping and ran through the door.

* * *

Adrien opened the car door and stepped out. He took a deep breath, stood up straight, and walked up the stairs leading into the school's courtyard. He saw Alya and Nino engrossed in conversation. They didn't notice him...yet.

"_Here goes nothing_," he thought.

Adrien quietly padded up behind them and said, "Good morning, fantastic friends! I hope you two are _feline _good today."

Alya squealed and Nino jumped almost a foot into the air.

"What the freak, dude!" Nino glared at his best friend, "Where did you come from! And, bro, we talked about the puns!"

After taking a moment to compose herself, Alya cocked her head to the side and asked, "Are you method acting right now?"

"Am I what?" It was Adrien's turn to be confused.

She squinted at him. "Is there another Ladybug and Chat Noir movie coming out or something?"

"No," he replied.

"Then what's with the getup and the puns? Are you trying to channel your inner Chat Noir today, Agreste?"

"No, I'm just trying to be myself."

"What are you talking about? You're never like this." Alya gestured to all of Adrien.

"Actually, babe," Nino said clearing his throat, "He does this sometimes. I've heard him attempt probably some of the worst puns on the planet. Seriously, sometimes I question whether he's Chat Noir's long lost twin brother or something."

Adrien chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. He offered Alya a toothy smile.

"Uh huh," Alya scrutinized, "That still doesn't explain the outfit, sunshine. Do you have a photo shoot today?"

"No," Adrien grinned, "I wanted to try something _mew_. I for one think it looks _paw-sitively purrrr-fect_."

"Dude." Nino's hands rested on his temples as he shook his head.

"You know what," Alya put her hand on Adrien's shoulder, "Whatever makes you happy. I think this is one of the first times I've seen you with a genuine smile."

"Really?" Adrien asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, bro," Nino chimed in, "The puns may make me groan, but it is nice to see you looking happy."

Adrien beamed and put his arms around Nino and Alya's shoulders.

"Thanks, you guys," he said with joyful tears prickling the corners of his eyes.

Suddenly, Adrien felt himself being ripped away from the tender moment with his friends and into the tight grasp of something unwanted. He looked up and saw Chole dragging him across the courtyard.

"Adrikins!" she shouted in his ear causing him to wince, "What an interesting look today! Ugh...I just had to get you away from those losers."

Adrien planted his feet firmly on the ground causing the snobby blonde to stop in her tracks. He then proceeded to remove her hands from his arm and take a step away from her.

Once he deemed there was a healthy distance between them, he stated, "Actually, Chloe. Alya and Nino are my friends, and I would appreciate it if you stopped saying hurtful things to them."

Chloe looked stunned. She tried to speak, but the only sound she made was an offended huff.

"Also," Adrien continued, "I really don't want you hanging on me like that anymore. It kind of makes me uncomfortable."

"Adrikins," Chloe choked out while shaking her head, "I don't understand."

"Okay," Adrien rolled his eyes, "Allow me to clarify. Please respect my personal space and my friends. Being polite and considerate never goes out of style."

Before letting her respond, he bowed, turned on his heel, and walked away. Upon returning to Alya and Nino, he was met with disbelieving stares and gaping mouths.

"What?" Adrien questioned.

"Dude," Nino responded, "that was...wow."

"Wow is right, sunshine!" Alya noted, "I didn't know you had it in you!"

Not wanting to dwell on the past few minutes, Adrien quickly changed the subject. "Come on. Let's get to class."

Nino and Alya looked at each other and shrugged. The trio then walked up the stairs and into their first classroom for the day.

* * *

Marinette ran into the classroom with five minutes to spare. She rushed to her seat without greeting anyone, flopped facedown onto the desk, and groaned loudly. She was _exhausted_.

"Girl, what happened?" Alya asked with concern lacing her voice.

Without lifting her head, Marinette mumbled into the desk, "I barely slept last night."

"Is something bothering you, Princess?" she heard a voice say through her fatigued haze.

It took a moment for her brain to process what was happening.

"_There is only one person in Paris who's called me 'Princess' before_," she thought.

Marinette looked up and squinted. Her eyes hadn't yet adjusted to the bright lights of the classroom. The sight before her was still a little blurry. She could just make out a mop of blond hair and a glint of green.

"No…" she whispered, "it's too early for this."

The blond mop turned it's head to the side. "Too early for what?"

She rubbed her eyes and focused on the person in front of her. Her eyes turned into saucers when she realized who she was talking to.

"ADRIEN!" she panicked, "Morning is good...I mean...it's morning...I MEAN YOU'RE MORNING….I MEAN...ugh nevermind."

Marinette slammed her head back on the table and groaned.

Adrien chuckled, "Cat got your tongue, Princess?"

She slowly raised her head again and looked at the boy in front of her.

Without a hint of nervousness in her voice, she stated, "That's what I thought you called me."

"Well, at the risk of sounding too _fur-ward_, it only seems proper to address someone as _paw-sitively purr-ty _as you with a fitting title," Adrien remarked with a smirk.

"Holy…" Alya murmured.

"Dude," Nino bumped Adrien's shoulder.

Marinette squinted...hard. She knew her mouth was agape, but she didn't bother to close it. She was too busy trying to solve the jumbled Rubix Cube in her brain. Surely she was hallucinating. It was just a trick her sleepless brain was playing on her...right?

Then, it hit her like a wrecking ball on drywall.

"Oh my God," she said breathlessly.

"Marinette," Adrien gasped with worry starting to pool in his eyes, "are you okay? You look a little pale."

She took a deep breath and looked at Alya...who was recording with her phone. Her best friend had documented the entire thing. Marinette decided that she couldn't deal with this right now. She needed a moment.

"If you'll excuse me," she said to her friends with the steadiest voice she could muster, "I'm not feeling very good. I'll be right back."

As Marinette stood to leave, Adrien got up, as well.

"Please, let me help you," he offered.

Marinette held up her hand to stop him. "No, _no_. You stay here. Please, you need to stay here. I just need a second. I'll be right back."

"Are you sure?" he asked gently.

She nodded her head quickly. "Yes, I'll be back."

She turned on her heel and walked briskly out the door. She passed Miss Bustier as she walked through the threshold.

"Marinette!" her teacher exclaimed worriedly, "Class is about to start. Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Bustier," Marinette responded, "I'm not feeling too well at the moment. I was just going to go to the restroom for a minute. I'll be right back."

"Okay, but let me know if you need to go to the nurse."

"I will! Thank you!"

Marinette sprinted to the bathroom. She slammed the door behind her and scooted into a stall.

"Tikki," she whispered loudly once the door was locked, "I know something I don't think I'm supposed to know."

"Oh, Marinette," her Kwami said with remorseful eyes.

"Did you know?" she asked hurriedly, "Did you know that Adrien is Chat Noir?"

Tikki hung her head low. "Yes, I did. I'm sorry, Marinette."

"So it's true."

"Yes, Adrien is Chat Noir."

"Adrien is Chat Noir," Marinette repeated.

Tikki flew up to her chosen's face. "Yes, I believe we've already established that."

"No, Tikki," Marinette stared blankly at the stall door, "Adrien isn't just Chat Noir. No, no, no. This means that Chat Noir is Adrien."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"No, it's not. Because now this means that Adrien is one of my best friends and my trusted partner. And this also means that...oh God...I'm in love with Chat Noir."

"That is technically true."

"That stupid cat is never going to let me live this down. He knows I have a crush on him. I told him last night! One day when we have a house and three kids he's going to look at me and say, 'See, didn't I tell you that one day you would wake up and realize that it's me you've been in love with all along. Look how great everything turned out'."

"I'm sure he'll treat you nicely once he knows."

"Oh, don't get me wrong. I know he'll treat me like royalty. I mean, did you see that set up he had on that roof? There were candles and rose petals...BUT that doesn't mean he's not going to tease me for the rest of my life. And...OHMYGOD, TIKKI. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?"

"Marinette, you're spiraling."

She ignored her Kwami and continued. "This means that freaking ally cat _ACTUALLY_ voiced his own alter-ego in a movie. Was he even trying to keep this a secret?"

Tikki put her paw on her chosen's cheek. "Marinette, calm down. It's okay."

"I'm gonna kill him, Tikki."

"No, Marinette!"

Marinette turned her head to the side and pursed her lips. "You're right. I can't do that."

The red Kwami tapped Marinette on the nose in an attempt to get her attention. The red-faced teen finally looked up.

"Are you going to tell him the truth?" Tikki asked firmly.

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Yeah, of course, I'm going to tell him."

"You won't have trouble talking to him about it?"

"It's Chat Noir. Why would I have trouble talking to him?"

"Because it's Adrien."

"Who just so happens to be Chat Noir.

Her Kwami offered her a sympathetic look.

Marinette huffed. "Look, I'm compartmentalizing right now. You should be proud. I'll freak out about it being Adrien later."

Tikki smiled. "So, you're going to tell him?"

"Oh, yeah. I'll tell him today," Marinette shot Tikki a mischevious grin, "but I'm gonna mess with him first."


	3. I'm In Love With You

Hello, lovely readers! Thank you for continuing to read "Chat for a Day". Reading all of your comments made my heart feel so full. You are all wonderful. All of your comments are greatly appreciated. It continues to fuel my need to keep writing. Thank you!

I cross-post on AO3 and on Tumblr.

Tumblr: gryffindorcls (I will be posting my fics to the "Princess In Training" blog)

AO3: clslovegood47

I own nothing but the plot.

* * *

Marinette walked out of the bathroom stall and looked into the mirror. She took the ponytail holders out of her pigtails and shook out her hair. This resulted in wavy tresses that elegantly framed her face. She smiled at her handiwork.

"What are you planning to do?" Tikki asked hesitantly.

"Look," Marinette began, "I'm one hundred percent fine with Adrien being himself. However, it wouldn't be any fun if I just told him that Ladybug knew he was Chat. I want to make him figure it out."

"And how are you going to do that?"

"I'm going to play his game."

"By doing what exactly?"

"I'm gonna flirt with him. Chat Noir himself told me to channel some of my inner Ladybug confidence and go talk to my crush, so that's exactly what I'm going to do."

"You're going to flirt with Adrien? In front of people?"

"No," Marinette shook her head, "I'm going to flirt with Chat Noir. A leather-clad, cat-boy superhero with a larger than life personality who just so happens to be Adrien Agreste."

Tikki sighed, "Are you sure about this Marinette?"

"Chat Noir flirts with Ladybug all the time. I'm going to give him a taste of his own medicine. If he can dish it out, then he should be able to take it."

"But you're not transformed right now."

"I don't think that's going to be all that much of a problem. Don't you find it strange that he called me '_purr-ty_' today? This was not the first time he's flirted with me as Marinette. And what's with the nickname? 'Princess'? You can't tell me there's not something there. Besides, last night he seemed to get kind of flustered when I asked him if he liked the girl who stutters around him all the time. Well, NEWSFLASH...I'm that girl!"

"Are you sure you know what you're doing, Marinette?"

"Of course I don't know what I'm doing. Does anyone ever know what they're doing when they're in love?"

Tikki beamed. "So you're really in love with him?"

"Oh, yes, Tikki," Marinette said with a lovesick smile, "I love him more than you could possibly imagine. You know, all those months ago when Chat asked me if I would have given him a chance if it wasn't for the boy I liked, do you know how much I wanted to say yes? He's so kind and sweet. Is he sometimes over the top and a little stubborn? Yes, but aren't we all? At the end of the day, he's a gentleman and he's loyal. Everything that Chat Noir is...well, now that I know that it's Adrien under the mask, it all makes sense...and it makes me love him that much more."

"Marinette, I'm so happy for you! But...what are you actually hoping to accomplish today?"

"Well, if that boy is going to tease me for the rest of eternity about this, then I would like a little bit of leverage. However, at the end of the day, I just want him to be happy. He looks so miserable when he thinks no one is looking. I think this will make him happy...or at least it will be a hilarious story to tell our kids one day!"

Tikki laughed and shook her head. "And if he's actually anything like Plagg tells me he is, then he will be extremely happy. BUT...it's important that you are happy, as well, Marinette. Will this plan of yours help you find something that will make you happy?"

"Yeah," Marinette responded flipping her hair over her shoulder, "a boyfriend."

* * *

Adrien tapped his foot nervously under the desk. He was _very_ worried about Marinette. This was exactly like the time she had gotten hurt at the ice rink. She had looked so upset then, and he hated seeing her doing anything other than smiling. Marinette was the kind of person who should never have a frown on her face.

He couldn't help but feel a little responsible for making her run out of the classroom. He thought she at least liked Chat Noir, but maybe there were still some hard feelings that remained after the whole getting her dad akumatized debacle. It's not like she knew he was actually Chat Noir, but maybe acting like his alter-ego had triggered something in her mind. He was used to her getting flustered, but seeing her like this had really upset him.

He didn't know why, but he desperately wanted to make her feel better.

"_Feeling like this is normal, right?_" he thought to himself, "_Yeah...definitely. Because part of being a good friend to someone is caring for their wellbeing. You got this, Agreste._"

Class had started shortly after Marinette rushed out of the classroom, so Adrien hadn't yet spoken to Nino or Alya regarding the incident. After fifteen grueling minutes, Miss Bustier (finally) asked the class to work on an assignment in pairs.

"Dude," Nino quietly exclaimed, "what the heck was _that_!"

"What are you talking about?" Adrien answered with a shoulder shrug.

"I'm talking about all that sweet talk with Marinette. Why would you do that?"

"I told you. I'm simply trying to be the most authentic version of myself."

"So, does that mean the "authentic Adrien" has a thing for Marinette? Because if you don't, that was a seriously low blow, man."

Adrien paused. That was the second time in twenty-four hours that someone had confronted him about potential feelings for Marinette. Was it so wrong for one friend to think that another friend was pretty?

Besides, Adrien only had eyes for Ladybug. He knew that one day his lady would return his affections...well, he hoped she would. A cat could dream.

"Marinette's just a friend. Sure, I think she's beautiful, but she likes someone else," Adrien remarked in his best "matter-of-factly" voice.

"Seriously? You mean you really haven't figured it out?" Nino threw his head back and groaned.

"Look, I care about Marinette. I would never deliberately do anything to hurt her, but you have to admit, she is an incredibly pretty girl. She's just as beautiful as any of the models I work with at photo shoots. That's a fact. I'm not the first person to point that out."

"Adrien. Do you even hear yourself right now?" Nino turned to his girlfriend in the row behind him, "Alya, help me out here..._please_!"

The young journalist shook her head and leaned over. "Adrien, as long as we are stating 'facts', all the people who have ever openly admitted that Marinette was a 'pretty girl' had crushes on her."

"So, you're telling me that you don't think your own best friend is pretty?" Adrien said with a smirk.

"No, I think she's pretty, but I don't tell her when I see her first thing in the morning...like you did today. AND I especially don't do it while calling her 'Princess'." Alya crossed her arms and returned the smirk.

Adrien's heart thumped loudly in his chest.

"_Oh_," he thought, "_that's new...or...is it? It has to be. Because I only have feelings for…"_

Nino interrupted his thoughts. "Yeah, what was up with that nickname?"

"Well," Adrien was unsure of where to start, "it suits her."

"Do you have nicknames like that for any more of your 'just a friend' friends?" Alya questioned.

He retreated back into his mind. "_Yeah, Ladybug, but I can't go and tell them that. But there isn't any other girl I talk to like that...oh…_"

"Oh, no," he mumbled fixing his eyes on the front of the classroom.

Alya chuckled quietly, "That's what I thought, sunshine."

Nino turned to look at her, "Babe, I think you broke him."

The moment Nino completed his statement, Marinette burst into the classroom. Her eyes immediately fell on Adrien. The stunned boy looked up and took a shuddering breath when he saw who was walking in his direction. Marinette shook her hair out of her face and sauntered confidently across the classroom.

"And I think he's about to become even more broken," Alya whispered quickly before Marinette took her seat next to her best friend.

* * *

Marinette held her head high as she strutted to her seat. She could feel a flutter of nervousness bubbling in her gut, but she was able to suppress it quickly.

"_It's not just Adrien anymore_," she thought, "_This is also your Chaton. Your silly, flirty, lovable goofball of a partner. You know he's in love with you. You can do this. All you need to do is make it through the day. You can freak out later_."

As she sat down, Alya leaned over and asked, "Hey girl, are you feeling better?"

Before Marinette could answer, a concerned looking Adrien turned around in his seat. "Yeah, Marinette. I...WE...yes...we were all worried about you."

She leaned over the desk and playfully bopped Adrien's nose and smiled. "Thanks for the concern, hot stuff, but don't worry. Nothing is _bugging_ me anymore."

Adrien's face turned bright red and his eyes grew wide. Alya carefully placed a hand on Marinette's arm to get her attention.

Alya's eyes were filled with worry. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Oh yeah," Marinette said turning her gaze back to Adrien, "I'm _feline_ great, but Adrien isn't looking too good. It seems like he's starting to come down with the same thing I had."

Marinette leaned over and felt Adrien's forehead. "You're a little warm."

"Are you sure you didn't hit your head or something while you were in the bathroom?" Alya pulled Marinette over and checked her for injuries.

"I'm fine, Alya," Marinette insisted. She then proceeded to wink at Adrien.

"Miss Bustier!" Alya called across the classroom, "I think there's something wrong with Marinette. She might be having a stroke or something."

Marinette leaned in close to Alya and whispered loud enough for Adrien to hear, "The only stroke anyone is having right now is a _stroke of genius_."

"Oh my God." The young journalist did her best to hide her shock.

"Marinette," their teacher replied, "if you're still not feeling well, you are welcome to go to the nurse."

Adrien shook himself out of his dazed state and stood up from his seat. "I can take her there, Miss Bustier."

The teacher nodded, and Adrien moved next to Marinette's seat. He held out his arm, and she happily took it. Adrien took great care to safely guide Marinette down the stairs. She rested her head on his shoulder causing him to once again turn bright red.

"What the actual freak is happening right now?" Nino remarked.

"I have no idea," Alya answered as the duo walked out of the classroom.

* * *

As Adrien walked Marinette down to the nurse's office, he tried to calm himself down. However, he could feel her breath against his neck, and his brain forgot how to function properly.

"_She's just a friend_," he told himself, "_She's just a friend. She's just a friend. She's just a friend_."

Marinette looked up at him through her eyelashes.

"_She's going to kill me if she keeps this up_," he noted mentally, "_At least it will be a happy death_."

"Thank you for walking me to the nurse," she smiled, "I always know that I can count on my knight in shining armor. Or are you my Prince Charming? Oh, maybe you're both. Yes. You're definitely _both_."

Adrien attempted to be suave. "Did something happen, Princess? You're not usually like this."

"Well," she started, "I'm not usually like _this_ around _you_, but I'm trying to be more like myself around my _crush_ today. I promised a friend that I would. You'd like him. You probably even know him. Actually, one might even think that you two could practically be _the same exact person_."

"Marinette, you're not making any sense."

"Oh yeah? Let me try to be clearer. Did I ever mention to you that I once told Chat Noir that I loved him?"

Adrien gulped. "You...you did?"

Marinette tightened her grip on Adrien's arm and moved closer to his side. "Yup, he showed up on my balcony after an Akuma attack one day, and I professed my undying love to him. You should have seen his face! It was kind of like how yours is right now."

Adrien felt warm. This was beginning to be too much for him to handle.

Marinette continued. "At the time I was actually trying to cover up an even _bigger secret_ that I'm pretty sure he was about to figure out. Anyway, I wasn't really in love with him...or at least that's what I thought. I'm beginning to think that turning him away was a big mistake."

"Wasn't that the same time that he got your dad akumatized? Aren't you angry at him for that?" Adrien asked tentatively.

"Why would I be angry at Chat Noir for something Hawkmoth did?" she replied shaking her head, "No, I'm actually grateful that Chat was there. He was so sweet and brave. He is a true hero."

"Really?" Adrien's voice was hoarse, "So does that mean you're still in love with Chat Noir?"

They had reached the entrance to the nurse's office. Marinette pulled away from Adrien and stood in front of him.

"Oh, you're so silly! I don't know if anyone has told you yet, but yeah...I'm in love with you. I always have been," she smiled sweetly and placed her hand on his shoulder, "Anyway, I'll see you a little later, kitty."

Before Adrien could respond, Marinette turned on her heel and walked into the nurse's office. She quickly closed the door behind her leaving a stunned boy in her wake.

Adrien could feel his heart thumping loudly again.

_Thump._

Marinette told him that she loved him.

_Thump. _

Hearing her say that made him happy.

_Thump. _

Maybe she wasn't just a friend.

"Oh my God," he whispered to himself.

Adrien walked quietly back to the classroom attempting to unpack his revelation. However, he was still rather confused. He felt like he was missing something. It was like being almost done with a puzzle, but a few of the pieces were gone.

He re-entered the classroom and took his seat.

"What happened?" Alya asked still visibly concerned, "Is she okay?"

"I honestly don't know," Adrien shrugged, "She told me that she loves me."

"She did what?!"

"Yeah, she was saying all this stuff that didn't make any sense. It was like she was talking in code, and then she called me…"

_Thump. _

She'd called him 'kitty'.

_Thump. _

Only one person calls him 'kitty'.

_Thump. _

There is was. One of the missing pieces of the puzzle.

"Oh my God!" he exclaimed.

Nino shook Adrien's shoulder and didn't get a response. "He's definitely broken this time, Alya."

Adrien was suddenly struck with another realization. The final piece of the puzzle clicked into place.

His mind was racing. "_Ladybug knows who I am_."


	4. I'm Never Going to Leave You

Hello, lovely readers! Once again, thank you for continuing to read "Chat for a Day". This chapter took me a while. It went through a few re-writes, but I think (hope) it's okay now. Enjoy this slightly longer chapter!

Thank you all so much for your comments. It continues to fuel my need to keep writing. Reading your feedback is my favorite part of the day. You are all wonderful!

I cross-post on AO3 and on Tumblr.

Tumblr: gryffindorcls (I will be posting my fics to the "Princess In Training" blog)

AO3: clslovegood47

I own nothing but the plot.

* * *

After closing the door behind her, Marinette suddenly felt lightheaded. The adrenaline rush that had accompanied her exchange with Adrien was starting to wear off. That coupled with the exhaustion from her sleepless night were starting to take a physical toll on her body.

The nurse picked up on her distress, and she was immediately offered a place to lay down. Grateful for the opportunity, Marinette climbed onto the bed in the nurse's office and closed her eyes.

Once the nurse drew a curtain around the bed and returned to her desk on the far side of the office, Tikki emerged from her chosen's purse.

"Are you okay, Marinette?" Tikki asked in a barely audible whisper.

"I'm feeling a little sleepy right now. My head kind of hurts, too," Marinette mumbled without opening her eyes.

"You did stay up pretty late last night."

"Yeah, but it was worth it. I was confident today, Tikki."

"Yes, you were. I'm very proud of you, but it probably helped that Adrien turned out to be Chat Noir though."

"True."

"Did I really call Adrien Agreste 'hot stuff' and bop him on the nose?"

"Yes, you did. You also told him that you loved him."

"Hmmmm...yeah I did. I'm definitely going to freak out about that later."

"I wouldn't expect anything less, Marinette."

"I think I'm going to rest my eyes for a little…" Marinette cut herself off as she fell fast asleep.

* * *

Plagg was a Kwami of simple pleasures. He didn't require much. All he ever really wanted was some (well...lots of) camembert, a comfortable place to sleep, and something to keep him occupied when he was awake. Usually, finding something to do while Adrien was in school was difficult, and he often found himself getting bored inside of his boy's bag. However, today's little show had been _very _interesting to watch. It was definitely quality entertainment.

After watching Tikki's bug deliver what had to have been an Oscar-worthy performance, observing his own chosen's internal meltdown was simply icing on the proverbial cake. Before it started, he knew this day was going to be great, but he wasn't expecting it to be this amazing. He knew he would be laughing about this for years to come.

While he would never openly admit it, Plagg really did love and care for Adrien. He didn't want to see his boy feeling hurt; however, watching him have an existential crisis? He was totally on board for that. Not only was it _HILARIOUS_, but it fulfilled his secret desire to see his chosen happy. Adrien was finally going to get the girl. It was the sappy "happily ever after" moment the kid had always dreamed of.

Despite the incredible stunt that bakery girl had pulled, Plagg knew that Tikki's chosen had a tendency to be a little hesitant around Adrien. He knew his boy wasn't perfect (he was probably the most oblivious human being on the planet), but he was afraid that the little bug might get spooked and start avoiding Adrien. Plagg had seen first hand just how much of a hopeless romantic his holder was, and having Marinette run away would crush him.

While Plagg typically didn't get involved in his wielders' love lives, he refused to see Adrien disappointed...again. The boy had enough people in his life who consistently let him down, and he didn't know Marinette well enough to trust that she wouldn't become one of those people. He didn't blame her for turning down Chat's advances over the past year, but he didn't want that to bleed into the duo's civilian relationship.

In all his years as a Kwami to a miraculous holder, Plagg had never seen two people more perfectly matched. Without each other, this Ladybug and Chat Noir would never grow into the heroes that they needed to be to defeat Hawkmoth. This relationship needed to be protected at all costs. Therefore, as soon as he was able, Plagg zipped out of Adrien's bag, phased through the wall, and flew down to the nurse's office.

Plagg hid in an air vent and surveyed the scene below him. The nurse sat quietly at her desk doing paperwork. She appeared to be blissfully unaware of the world around her. He spotted the curtained off section of the room and prayed that Tikki was hiding there with her chosen.

Plagg zoomed into the secluded space and whispered loudly, "Sugarcube? Are you here?"

Tikki zipped out of Marinette's bag and shushed her counterpart. "Quiet, you'll wake her up."

He looked at the unconscious girl with a confused expression. "What happened to her?"

"She didn't sleep much last night after accepting the challenge from _your _chosen. Then, once she found out that Adrien was Chat Noir...actually, I'm not sure what happened. I think it was the push she needed to get over her anxiety around Adrien. However, she has a headache now, and she's been sleeping since she got here."

"So, she isn't scared of him anymore?"

"I don't think she was ever scared of _him_. I think she was scared of _being rejected by him_, but as soon as she found out that Adrien was in love with her...well, that fear got smaller. I don't think it took away her all nervousness though. It took a lot out of her to confess her feelings."

"I can imagine. Adrien did it several times."

"Yeah, he did. That will probably come up during her private freak out fest later. At least they found each other. Wait...your boy figured it out right?"

"Oh, yeah. He's already having his own freak out fest. He's been catatonic for the past two hours in class. However, if I know him at all, once he snaps out of it, he will be in full-blown romance mode. Your girl wasn't lying when she said that she loves Adrien, right? Because I don't think he'll be able to handle it if she didn't actually love him."

"She loves him alright. You know, she never actually hated Chat Noir. It's just that she loved Adrien so much. Now that she knows they're the same person, she loves him even more."

Plagg flew close to Tikki and took her paws in her own. "We have to make sure this relationship happens. We can't let the momentum stop. These two need each other."

Tikki giggled. "Awww, Plagg. You're such a big softie."

"You know I care about all my kittens. I mess with them because it makes them better heroes in the end."

"That and you think it's funny."

"Yeah, I do," Plagg said wistfully, "I really do...but that's not the point! You and I both know that they will become stronger once they've worked on their bond as partners. They are two sides of the same coin. Yin and yang. They complete each other."

"I know, I know," Tikki responded, "I was even going to suggest to Marinette that she should reveal her identity soon. Hawkmoth is getting stronger. Now, that he has a partner, these two will need each other more than ever."

"Exactly! However, these two are in love, and that can be a tricky thing. We need to ensure that this works out. Adrien is the most lovesick kitten I've ever had, but I'm worried about your chosen. I know you said she loves him, but can we be sure that she won't turn him down again or let her nervousness get in the way?"

"I don't think we have to worry about that. She seemed pretty determined to get herself a boyfriend earlier today. Marinette also told me that all she wants is for him to be happy. She's still anxious, but I've seen her push away fear many times. Remember how she stood up to Chloe?"

"Okay, that's good...but we should still help them right?"

"Oh, yeah. Definitely."

"Jeez, our kids are a mess this time."

Tikki smiled and looked at her chosen. "Yeah, but they're our messes."

Plagg sighed, "Alright, so your girl is passed out, and once my boy starts breathing again, he will be looking for an opportunity to get back to her. We need to make sure that he has that chance."

"Yes, and we also need to make sure that Alya stays away. They need alone time."

"Agreed...BUT your chosen had a full-blown personality change in front of the nosy girl She was freaking out quite a bit this morning. She's probably calmer now, but still."

"Hmmmm," Tikki said pursing her lips, "That's going to be a problem. Alya is really protective. If she thinks something is wrong, she's going to check it out...unless Marinette herself tells her to stay away. But she can't exactly do that right now."

Plagg thought for a moment. "Wait! I know. Do you know how to text using your chosen's phone?"

"Yes, but using her phone without permission is an invasion of privacy!"

"Puh-lease. You and I both know for a fact that your bug has no boundaries when it comes to cell phones. May I remind you of that little stunt she pulled with Adrien's phone?"

Tikki sighed. "No, you're right. And that wasn't the only time she took someone's phone. She'll forgive us."

"Wait, are you telling me that she's stolen _more than one _phone?" Plagg did his best to hold back his laughter. (He did not want the nurse to hear him.) "That's hilarious! She is a girl after my own heart. Can you imagine if she got the ring instead of the earrings? She and I would have leveled Paris before Hawkmoth even started sending out Akumas!"

Tikki had already gotten Marinette's phone out of her purse. "Hush, Plagg! I already agreed with you. Let's just get this done. Who are we texting, and what do we want the messages to say?"

Plagg grinned.

* * *

Marinette still hadn't come back from the nurse's office. Adrien could feel the emptiness of the seat behind him. It was not helping him calm down.

Physically, he was present in Miss Bustier's classroom that day, but mentally he was gone. Luckily, there was no lecture.

For the rest of the morning, his brain was flooded with panicked thoughts. "_Ladybug knows who I am. She knows I'm Chat Noir, and I know that she's Marinette...and Marinette is Ladybug...and I like Marinette and I like Ladybug. So, I like both? No, I only like one girl. THANK GOD. But...I left her in the nurse's office all by herself. She isn't back yet...OHMYGOD. What if something is ACTUALLY wrong? I left her there, and now she's dying...no, that's stupid, Agreste. She's fine...but what if she's not? That means that I abandoned her in her time of need. Now she'll never love me, but wait...no, she already told me that she loved me…"_

"She already told me that she loved me," he whispered to himself.

"And he's back! Bro, we thought we lost you!" Nino exclaimed.

"What did you say, sunshine?" Alya asked.

Adrien's eyes locked with Alya's. "Marinette told me that she loved me."

"Yes, she did," Alya responded while nodding her head, "and that's just hitting you now?"

"Does...does Marinette like me?"

"I thought that was already established."

A lovesick smile spread across Adrien's face. "She likes me."

"_Ladybug likes me_," he thought.

"No, she _loves_ you. The girl is positively head over heels about you."

"_OHMYGOD! LADYBUG LOVES ME!" _his mind screamed.

His brain started to shut down again. Yes, he had heard Marinette say it earlier, but it was finally hitting him that the girl of his dreams was actually in love with him. He could feel hot tears prickling the corners of his eyes. He sniffled, and the tears threatened to fall. He was at a loss for words.

"Bro," Nino said putting a hand on his shoulder, "Are you okay?"

Adrien choked back a sob, "I...I'm so happy. I love her so much. This is the greatest thing that's ever happened to me! I need a minute...I'll be fine!"

He took a moment to compose himself. Words couldn't begin to describe how blissfully happy he was. He didn't know it was possible to fall even more in love with a person, but he was proven wrong.

The world instantly looked brighter. Ladybug had always been a light in his life. However, now that he knew that Marinette was also his lady, it was like having his own personal star, and she was at the center of his universe. He was ready to be with her, but first, he needed to figure out a way to see her again...soon.

"Adrien," Alya began, "This is a pretty long moment. Are _you _okay? We can't have two friends wind up going to the nurse."

His response came quickly. "I'm fine, but I need to get into that nurse's office after class."

"Why?" Alya questioned.

He smirked, "I'm going to ask out Marinette."

"That's awesome, dude!" Nino laughed.

Adrien and Nino miraculously finished their assignment before the end of class. Finally, it was lunchtime, and Adrien desperately needed to talk to Marinette.

As both boys stood up to hand in their work, Adrien's phone buzzed. He opened his device and looked at the name on his screen. His heart started beating faster.

**Marinette- **Hey, you! :)

Adrien typed four different responses before hitting send.

**Adrien-** Hi! Are you feeling any better?

He anxiously waited for a response.

**Marinette- **I'm fine. My head was hurting, so the nurse let me lay down.

**Adrien- **I'm just happy you're ok

"What's up, buttercup?" Alya asked, "Is it Marinette?"

"Yeah, she texted me. She told me that she's alright and that she fell asleep in the nurse's office," he explained while looking at the message on her phone.

Alya looked relieved. "So that's why she didn't come back?"

"I guess so," he shrugged.

Adrien's phone buzzed again.

**Marinette- **Could you do me a favor?

He smiled.

**Adrien- **Anything for you, Princess. 3

**Marinette- **Could you bring my backpack down to the nurse's office? I left it by my seat.

Adrien spotted her belongings and slung her bag over his shoulder. As he did so, another message was delivered to his phone.

**Marinette- **I only want you to come down with my stuff. ;)

He almost dropped the phone. Adrien could feel the heat of a blush creeping up his neck and face. Alya and Nino noticed Adrien's reaction and exchanged worried glances.

"Adrien, dude, what did she say to you?" Nino asked putting a hand on his shoulder.

Alya looked at the phone screen and laughed. "Alone, huh? I can respect that. My girl is on fire today. I still think she hit her head or something, but I guess I can trust you to check up on her for me. Looks like you got your chance to ask her out, loverboy.

Adrien still didn't respond. He stood shellshocked. Ladybug wanted to see him, and she probably wanted to talk to him. He knew this was his chance to tell her how he felt, so he stood up straight and reminded himself that he was Chat Noir. He could do this. She was his partner...his beautiful, amazing partner.

"Is this going to be a regular occurrence from now on? Like, are you going to melt on the spot every time she says something to you? You guys are going to be one of _those_ couples, aren't you?" Nino remarked rolling his eyes.

Alya elbowed him. "Shhhhh! It's adorable. Do you know how long I've waited for this moment? Do not mess up my ship."

Instead of responding to Nino's questions, Adrien shrugged and said, "If you guys don't mind, I'm just going to go see Marinette now."

"Alright, sunshine. We'll see you after lunch. Tell Marinette she needs to call me later." Alya finished her command with a wink. She then proceeded to take Nino's hand and drag him out of the classroom.

Moments later, Adrien left the room and started walking towards the nurse's office. On the way there, he had a strange mix of nervousness and excitement brewing inside of him. It felt like an internal thunderstorm. However, both of those feelings were quickly overpowered by the sheer adoration he felt as he thought about Marinette. He quickened his pace. He couldn't wait to see her again.

Once he arrived, he slowly opened the door, and the nurse greeted him with a smile. "Hello, young man! What brings you here today? Are you feeling well?"

"Oh, yes, ma'am. I feel fine. I'm actually here to bring Marinette her things," Adrien explained politely.

The nurse nodded, "Wonderful. What a gentleman! The poor thing must have been feeling awful. She fell asleep two hours ago, and she hasn't woken up since."

"Wait, she's not awake?"

"No, she's out like a light. I was about to go wake her up. I've already called her parents and told them to keep her home for the rest of the day. They're expecting her soon. She's right over there." The nurse pointed to the curtain and walked back to her desk.

Adrien pulled back the curtain and revealed a still very much asleep Marinette. He looked at his phone to double check that the messages he received were actually from her.

"_Perhaps she woke up for a few minutes and then fell back asleep_?" Adrien thought.

Plagg then zoomed into view causing Adrien to glare at the tiny being. Tikki joined him shortly after. Upon seeing the two of them together, everything became much clearer.

"_Or it was the Kwamis_."

Adrien looked at the magical duo. "Now, before I begin, I'm guessing you're Tikki? Ladybug has told me quite a bit about you."

The red Kwami giggled. "Yes, I'm Tikki. It's nice to meet you, Adrien!"

Adrien smiled, but his expression quickly shifted to concern when he looked at Marinette on the bed. "Okay, I just need to ask...is she okay?"

Tikki flew over to Adrien and hugged his cheek. "You're so sweet! No wonder she fell in love with you. She's fine. Marinette had a headache and she's resting now. You can wake her up. I know she'll be thrilled to see you."

Adrien was flooded with relief. "Thanks, Tikki. However, before we let her join our conversation, I need to ask...who texted me?"

Tikki looked guilty and Plagg grinned. "That'd be me, kid. Tikki unlocked the phone, but those messages were all me."

Adrien shot his Kwami an annoyed look. "Okay, two things. One...why are you not in my bag? What if there was an emergency?"

"Kid, trust me. Coming down here was an emergency. You needed help that only we could provide."

"Okay, we will have words about _that _later...and two...does this mean that I've been flirting with _you _for the past 15 minutes? You don't think the winking face was a little much?"

"It had to be believable. Look, you should be grateful. I got you some alone time to sort things out with your girlfriend."

Plagg had called Marinette his girlfriend a few times in the past, so out of habit, Adrien responded by saying, "She's not my girlfriend."

Plagg's grin widened, "Yet."

Adrien's expression softened into a lovesick smile. "_Yet_," he repeated in his mind, "_She's not my girlfriend...yet_."

"And there's the face. Don't get all mushy yet," Plagg said rolling his eyes, "You still need to get your 'Princess' home."

Adrien's eyes fell on Marinette. Her arms were cradling her head and tendrils of hair had fallen into her face. She breathed softly and steadily. Seeing her under the fluorescent glow of the lights made his heart swell with affection. At that moment, he knew that he would love her no matter the circumstances. She was his everything, and he was never going to take her for granted. If she agreed to be with him, he would do his best to always make her feel loved.

"She still needs to say yes to being with me," Adrien whispered.

"Well, you're never going to find out by standing there!" Plagg exclaimed, "Go wake her up. Talk to her. Be everything she needs you to be."

Adrien knelt next to the bed and gently moved the hair out of Marinette's face. He rubbed her arm until her eyes fluttered open and locked with his. She awoke with a smile.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. Did you have a good nap?" Adrien cooed in her ear.

Marinette blinked the sleep away from her eyes. "My Prince Charming came back."

"My lady, I will always come back for you."

"So you figured it out?"

"You didn't exactly make it hard," Adrien laughed, "That was some show you put on."

Marinette sat up and stretched, "Yeah, I was dying on the inside the entire time, but it's okay. Talking to you is much easier now."

Adrien gave her a sympathetic look and reached for her hand. "If it's not too much to ask, what made it hard before?"

Marinette swallowed and maintained eye contact. "I think...I was afraid that if I ever told you how I felt, you would disappear from my life. I don't know if I could have handled that."

He squeezed her hand reassuringly, leaned over, and lovingly kissed her on the forehead. This caused Marinette to giggle and blush. He placed one of his hands on her cheek and she leaned into his touch.

"Marinette, I would have never cut you out of my life. I've always admired you both in and out of the mask. And to top it all off, you told me that you love me. I would be crazy to throw something like that away. I'm never going to leave you. I'm here to stay. I love you so much."

"You do?" Marinette had tears in her eyes.

"Yes, I do," he stood up and pulled her to her feet, "Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I am deeply and madly in love with you, and it would make me the happiest cat on the planet if you would do me the honor of being my girlfriend."

Marinette laughed, "Always so gallant, Chaton. Yes, I would love to be your girlfriend."

Adrien beamed and pulled her into a tight hug. She pressed her cheek into his chest, and he nuzzled the top of her head.

He eventually pulled away and took her hands in his own. "Now, we are still at school, I'm sure that lovely nurse would like us to leave, and your parents are expecting you to be back any minute now. Would it be okay if I walked you home, Princess?"

Marinette scrunched her nose and giggled again. "Lead the way, kitty."


	5. I'm Dating Adrien Agreste

Hello, lovely readers. I finally have Chapter 5 ready for all of you. I apologize for taking longer than I usually do to update. I have been working on my other fic "Please Tell Me I'm Awake Right Now".

Anyway, I have the rest of the chapters plotted out, and there will be 7 parts in total. We are slowly getting closer to the end of our journey. Thank you to all of you who have been following me on this crazy ride.

Thank you again for all of the comments and the favorites. I appreciate every single one. They fuel my need to keep writing about these two lovesick dorks. You are all wonderful!

I cross-post on AO3 and on Tumblr.

Tumblr: gryffindorcls (I will be posting my fics to the "Princess In Training" blog. Also, come talk to me over there! I would love to discuss my stories and the Miraculous fandom with y'all!)

AO3: clslovegood47

I own nothing but the plot.

* * *

The bell on the bakery door sounded as the newly established couple walked in holding hands. They were greeted by two _very _concerned looking adults. Marinette's parents bombarded them the second the teens crossed the threshold.

"Marinette!" Tom scooped her up into a hug, "The nurse called and told us that you weren't feeling well. Are you okay? What's wrong? Do you have a fever? You don't feel warm. You look a little flushed though...maybe we should double check just in case."

She wiggled out of her father's hold and retreated to Adrien's side. Marinette smiled in an attempt to reassure the panicking man.

"Papa, it's okay! I'm fine. I had a headache, and I went to the nurse's office to lay down. I must have been tired because I fell asleep. When I woke up, I was feeling better," Marinette turned to look at Adrien, "Much better."

Sabine hugged her. "Sweetie, we were so worried when the nurse told us to not send you back to school. I'm glad it's nothing serious."

"Wait!" Marinette exclaimed, "She told you what? I don't want to stay at home. Please let me go back to school. I don't want to stay at home by myself."

Adrien slid his hand into Marinette's and laced his fingers through her own. Tom and Sabine's eyes tracked the subtle (yet glaring) movement and exchanged knowing looks.

"Oh, I see," Sabine said, attempting to stifle a grin, "How about this? I would really like you to stay home this afternoon and rest. I don't want you to get another headache at school. BUT...as a compromise, how about you and Adrien head up to your room, and I'll bring you two some lunch. Then once the school day is over, he can bring you the assignments you missed."

"And he can stay for dinner," Tom added patting Adrien on the back.

Marinette looked between her two parents. "Okay...I'll stay home. I guess I do feel really worn out. I could use some rest. As for Adrien, well...only if it's okay with him."

Adrien pulled out his phone and began typing. "Lunch should be fine. I just need to tell my driver that I won't be coming home. As for dinner, let me just text Nathalie. I'm sure it's okay though. I have fencing practice after school, but I'll be free for the rest of the evening once that's over. Thank you very much for the offer. I really appreciate it!"

"What a polite young man!" Sabine clapped her hands together in delight.

"You are welcome in our home whenever you want, son," Tom said while grabbing Adrien and pulling him into a bone-crushing hug.

"Papa, stop! You're squishing him!" Marinette protested.

Tom released him.

"It's fine, Marinette," Adrien turned to Tom, "Thank you, sir. That's very kind of you to say."

"If Marinette wants to be with you, then consider yourself a part of the family. Just make sure you take care of our little girl," the man said with a serious expression.

"PAPA!" Marinette groaned. She buried her face in her hands.

Adrien laughed and draped his arm around Marinette, pulling her close. "I will do my best, sir. I care about your daughter very much."

Tom smiled. "I can see that, son. Thank you."

"Okay...before you two embarrass me anymore, we're going to my room," Marinette said, grabbing Adrien's hand and dragging him up the stairs.

They made their way into the apartment and eventually reached Marinette's room. In one sweeping movement, she let go of his hand and flopped onto her chaise. She then proceeded to dramatically hide her face in the fluffy pillow next to her.

Adrien chuckled at her antics and joined her on the lounger. He moved close enough to reach out and stroke her soft, raven hair. She sighed happily, sat up, and gazed into his bright, verdant eyes.

"They remind me of a meadow," she remarked quietly.

He looked confused. "And...what exactly reminds you of that, Princess?"

"Your eyes. It's like looking at a grassy meadow in the springtime. They're very soothing."

Adrien smiled lovingly. "I get lost in yours every time I look into them. Every day I'm overcome by their beauty. I am but a weary traveler on the turbulent waters of life until I am met by the calm, cerulean pools that are your eyes."

Marinette released a shaky breath. "Wow, that was...poetry...it was…"

"SO CHEESY!" a small, grating voice exclaimed, cutting off Marinette, "At least his prose has improved over the past year. He used to come home every night and scream 'her eyes are so blue it hurts' into his pillow. There were even a few times he just stared at a Ladybug doll and ugly cried. However, he still wears the Ladybug pajamas almost every night."

"PLAGG!" Adrien growled.

Marinette giggled. She then reached out and briefly touched Adrien's cheek. "It's okay, Chaton. I am in no position to judge. Trust me."

Adrien cocked his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

Marinette hung her head low and played with the hem of her skirt. "Uhm... I may have told you a half-truth about the nature of the pictures on my wall. I am definitely interested in fashion, but I may have been a little more focused on the person modeling the clothes."

A mischievous twinkle flashed in his eyes. "So, last night when you said that you thought the boy you liked had perfect hair, you meant mine?"

"Ugh, don't let it go to your head, kitty, but yes...I happen to like your hair. However, you're not completely perfect, and I wouldn't change a thing."

"Do you know how refreshing it is to hear you say that?"

"Your imperfections are part of what makes you...well, _you_. They aren't weaknesses. Everyone has good and not so good qualities. Besides, it doesn't really matter because I love _all_ of you...not just part of you. First, I fell in love with the sincere, kind boy who handed me his umbrella on a rainy day. Then, I did my best to guard my heart against the charming, flirty hero who ran around in a catsuit...and wound up failing miserably."

Adrien grinned. "Wait...I just realized something…"

Marinette could almost hear his thoughts through his expression. She knew exactly where this was going.

"Oh, no," she mumbled under her breath.

"OH, YES!," he exclaimed, "I knew one day you would realize that you were in love with me!"

"That's not fair! I've been in love with you the entire time."

"But now you're in love with Chat Noir."

"No, I'm in love with Adrien Agreste who just so happens to be Chat Noir."

Marinette froze after completing her last statement. The full reality of the situation finally dawned on her.

"_Oh_," she thought, "_There it is. Chat Noir isn't just Adrien Agreste...Adrien Agreste is Chat Noir. Oh. My. God. I'm...I'm...I'm…"_

"I'm dating Adrien Agreste," she whispered, staring blankly into the void.

Adrien leaned in and touched her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Princess, I didn't catch that."

"I'm dating Adrien Agreste!" she clamped her hand over her mouth did her best to not hyperventilate.

He chuckled, "Why yes, you are. And I'm dating the radiant, talented, and incredible Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

Marinette's eyes locked onto Adrien's. "No. You don't understand. I'm dating _Adrien Agreste_. I'M DATING ADRIEN AGRESTE! I've been dreaming of this moment for months. Now, it's finally happening...and I don't know what to do. I wasn't supposed to freak out about this in front of you. Ugh...you probably think I'm weird, and you're not going to want to date me...and…and...and…"

"Marinette?" Adrien asked softly, attempting to pull her out of her panic.

She covered her face with her hands and choked back a sob. "I think I'm going to cry."

Adrien quickly wrapped his arms around Marinette and pulled her into a tight embrace. She could feel herself beginning to shake. He rubbed her back soothingly with one hand and cradled her head into his chest with the other.

He nuzzled the top of her head and spoke comforting words in her ear. "Marinette...it's okay. It's just me. I may be Adrien Agreste, but I'm still your silly Chaton. Yes, I'm your boyfriend, and no, I'm not going to break up with you. I'm yours, and only yours. There is _no one _else for me. It's always been you, and I will always be here for you. Please don't cry because of me...please don't. I love you."

As Adrien talked, Marinette felt herself slowly melting into him. He was warm and safe. She started to calm down.

"_He's right,_" she thought, "_There's no need to be scared of him not liking me anymore. He loves me...he told me that he loves me. All of me."_

Once her breathing regulated, she pulled away from Adrien's chest and looked up at his face. "I love you, too."

His hand reached up and wiped away a tear that was on her cheek. "Do you know how beautiful you are?"

"What?"

"I don't think I'll ever get over the fact that I am dating the most amazing person on the planet."

"Well, you may be imperfect, but don't sell yourself short, kitty. You're pretty incredible yourself."

He looked down and bit his lip. "Would it be okay if I kissed you?"

"Yes, please," Marinette responded breathlessly.

His lips carefully found his way to hers. She responded by tilting her head and deepening the kiss. Adrien's hands moved to her waist, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Within seconds she was billions of lightyears away soaring amongst the cosmos. She was a comet being pulled in by the gravity of a bright, shining star. Adrien's fiery and passionate aura conveyed to her a thousand different declarations of love. He lifted her up and he grounded her at the same time. He was reserved and outrageous. He was cautious and a risk-taker. He was Adrien _and _Chat Noir. He was her beautiful paradox, and she loved him all the more for it.

All too soon, they were interrupted by a knock at the hatch to Marinette's room. They broke apart and scrambled to opposite sides of the chaise.

"Yes?" Marinette said while doing her best to sound calm.

The hatch opened, revealing Sabine carrying a tray topped with two bowls and several large chunks of baguette.

"Alright, kids. I brought you some lunch. I hope you don't mind soup," the kindly woman said with a smile.

"Not at all, ma'am," his voice sounded strained, "It looks wonderful. Thank you."

Sabine looked at the two teens and snickered. "Adrien, dear, you're looking a little flushed. I hope you didn't catch anything that Marinette might have had."

Adrien cleared his throat. "I..uh...no, ma'am. I'm fine...just a little warm."

"If you say so, dear," Sabine smirked, "I'll leave you kids to it then!"

Marinette's mother left the tray on the desk and retreated into the lower level of the apartment. As she closed the hatch behind her, a light chuckle could be heard.

"Sorry," Marinette apologized.

"My lady, please don't ever be sorry about something like that," he remarked, scooting closer, "You're parents are great, and they seem pretty happy that we're together."

"You have no idea. They're ecstatic...especially my dad. He has been waiting for the day that I bring home a boy."

"No, I remember him being like that when you told him you loved Chat Noir. At least this time he won't think that I broke your heart and get himself Akumatized."

"I think we'll be okay this time."

"I hope so...because I'd _really_ like to kiss you again."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah…"

The pair were now holding each other closely. They slowly leaned in and allowed their lips to touch once again.

"NO!" Plagg whined, "Don't start kissing again! I'm hungry, and it's lunchtime. You'll have plenty of time to gaze into each other's eyes and touch each other's faces later!"

Tikki flew over to the black Kwami and swatted him with her paw. "You stop that right now. You're not starving."

"And how do you know that, Sugarcube? Hmmm?" he asked snarkily, "You don't know the last time I was fed."

"I know that Adrien takes very good care of you. Besides, you _reek_ of cheese, so you must have eaten something recently."

"BUT I'M HUNGRY NOW!"

Adrien rolled his eyes at his Kwami's antics. "Marinette, I don't know if you've been formally introduced, but this is Plagg."

"Hello, little bug. Nice to see you again. Do _you _have any cheese?" Plagg asked with kitten eyes.

"I remember you!" Marinette remarked, "We were quite the team when we fought Style Queen together. I forgot how cute you are!"

She reached out and scratched Plagg on the top of his head. The kwami closed his eyes and purred.

"Don't encourage him, Marinette, "Adrien said while glaring at Plagg.

She cheerfully continued to pet the tiny, black being. "But Adrien...he has tiny kitty ears!"

Adrien crossed his arms. "Yeah, but all he does is complain."

"Oh, he's just hungry," Marinette said without taking her eyes off of Plagg, "I'll go get him some cheese."

He put his hand on her arm. "No, you don't have to. I have some in my bag."

"She's my new favorite," Plagg said, turning to Adrien.

"Get in line. She's always been my favorite," the teen retorted, glaring at his Kwami.

"Excuse me," Tikki chimed in, "Are you two finished?"

Marinette turned to her boyfriend. "Have you met Tikki yet?"

Adrien scratched the back of his neck. "Uhh...yeah, I met her while you were still asleep in the nurse's office."

Her eyes grew wide. "Oh, no! You saw me sleeping! I must have looked terrible."

He pulled her close, "No, you looked adorable...and peaceful. I felt kind of bad that I had to wake you up."

Marinette leaned in and nuzzled his nose with her own. "I'm glad you did."

"Hey, lovebirds!" Plagg complained, "I'm still here, and I'm STILL HUNGRY!"

Tikki sneered at her counterpart, "Plagg, stop! Once you get your cheese, we are going to leave these two alone until Adrien has to go back to school."

"Ugh, fine," Plagg grumbled.

Adrien nodded in agreement and got the Kwami his cheese. Plagg shoved it in his mouth and zipped away with Tikki.

While he was up, Adrien grabbed their lunches from the desk and brought it back to the chaise. The pair ate their lunch and chatted happily. When they were finished, they placed their dishes back onto the desk, and Adrien grabbed his tablet so they could watch videos together.

They found that cuddling came easily. Marinette huddled against Adrien's chest. He nestled his arm around her waist and rested his cheek on the top of her head. They comfortably sat together for the remainder of the lunch break.

"Marinette?" Adrien whispered in her ear, "I have to go now, but I can't get up until you let go."

"No." she responded firmly, "I just got you, and I'm not going to let you go. Also, you're cozy and warm."

Adrien chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "As much as I don't want to go either, I have to go back to school."

Marinette sighed and rolled off of his chest. "Fine, but I still don't see why I can't come back with you. I feel better now."

"You feel better because you slept in the nurse's office. I agree with what your mom said before. I don't want your headache to come back. _Please_ rest while I'm gone."

"But I want to be with you."

"Princess, there will be plenty of days for us to be together in school. I will see you when I'm done with fencing practice. Nathalie texted me back and told me that I can come over for dinner. Tonight I will be all yours."

Marinette closed the gap between them and pecked him on the lips.

"Okay," she conceded.

A lovesick grin spread across his face, and he reached up to brush a stray hair out of her face. "Good. I'll see you later. I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Adrien."

They embraced again before he collected Plagg, walked across the room, opened the hatch, and disappeared into the apartment below. Marinette immediately felt his absence.

"Tikki," she called out to her Kwami.

"Yes, Marinette?" the tiny red being responded, zooming over to her chosen.

"He's my boyfriend."

"Yes, he is."

"I can't believe it."

"I can. You two are soulmates."

Marinette looked at Tikki with widened eyes. "Wait...really?"

"Yes," the Kwami answered, "you and Adrien balance each other perfectly...just me and Plagg."

"Wow...that's incredible. Ugh...but I have to wait hours before I see him again! What am I supposed to do while I'm waiting?"

"Designing usually takes your mind off of things."

Marinette's face lit up. "You're right, Tikki! There's actually something I've been meaning to make for Chat. It's already sketched, and I have all the material. I just hope he'll like it."

Tikki giggled. "Oh, Marinette, Adrien will cherish anything that you give him."

"I think I can get it done before he gets back."

"You can do it!"

Marinette pulled out her materials. As she wound the bobbin on her sewing machine, she was suddenly struck with yet another realization. She took her foot off the pedal and turned towards Tikki.

"What is it Marinette?" the Kwami asked with a hint of concern.

"If I'm dating Adrien, and Adrien is Chat Noir...then that means that Chat Noir is dating Ladybug."

"That's technically true."

"Wow...we really got ourselves into a mess there didn't we?"

"It was both interesting and frustrating watching you two dance around each other."

Marinette smiled and returned to working on her project. "At least we've found each other now. I never thought I could be this happy. I still can't believe I'm dating Adrien Agreste. This is a dream come true."


	6. I'm Home Whenever I'm With You

Hello, lovely readers. This is the penultimate chapter of "Chat for a Day". One more chapter to go! Thank you to everyone for continuing to read, and thank you for the kudos and comments everyone has left. Reading your feedback is the highlight of my day. They fuel my need to keep writing about these two lovesick dorks. You are all wonderful! YOU ARE ALL AMAZING!

Even though "Chat for a Day" is almost over, that doesn't mean that the fluff train has to end! I started writing a new fic called "The Best Friend Swap". It is full of the tooth-rotting Adrienette fluff we all know and love. Feel free to check it out!

I cross-post on AO3 and on Tumblr.

Tumblr: gryffindorcls (I will be posting my fics to the "Princess In Training" blog. Also, come talk to me over there! I would love to discuss my stories and the Miraculous fandom with y'all!)

AO3: clslovegood47

* * *

Adrien returned to school floating on a cloud. Marinette was his lady, and he was her Chaton. They loved each other, and all was right with the world.

He took his seat and rested his head in his hands. Nino and Alya exchanged knowing glances.

"Hey there, lover boy, " Alya teased, "Where's my best friend?"

Adrien perked up and turned around to look at Alya. "She's at home. The nurse told her parents to not send her back after the lunch break."

"Oh, I see. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it appears to me that you spent your entire lunchtime with her."

"No, you're right. I just came from her house."

"And you two were _only _eating during the full two hours?"

Adrien shot her a sly grin. "I was taught to never kiss and tell, but maybe you'll be able to get more out of my _girlfriend_ when you talk to her later."

Alya's hands flew to her mouth as she did her best to suppress an excited squeal. "Ohmygod! I have to text Marinette!"

"That's awesome, bro! I'm so happy for you," Nino remarked, giving Adrien a pat on the back, "Does this mean we get to go on double dates now?"

Adrien nodded. "Yes! Most definitely. I know Marinette would love that, too."

"I think this is the happiest I've ever seen you. It's a good look for you, dude."

"Honestly, I didn't think it _was _possible to feel this happy.

"And I'm guessing that Marinette is beyond excited. She's been crushing on you forever, bro."

Adrien sighed. "Yeah, she told me about that. If only I'd figured things out sooner."

"Well, all that matters is that you're together now. You can't change the past, my man."

"Ugh!" Alya grunted in frustration, causing both boys to turn and look at her.

"What's wrong, babe?" Nino asked.

Alya turned to Adrien and squinted. "_Your girlfriend_ isn't answering me."

"She promised me she'd rest this afternoon, " Adrien shrugged, "Maybe she's asleep."

"I doubt it, " Alya rolled her eyes, "She's probably pulling another classic Marinette."

Adrien gave her a confused look. "What do you mean by that?"

"Dude, " Nino began, placing a hand on Adrien's shoulder, "have you really never noticed that Marinette dips out all the time?"

"Mmmmhmmm, " Alya agreed, "And I love my girl, but there have been way too many times that she is not where she says she's going to be. She is a total space cadet."

"_Have I really never noticed before?_" Adrien thought to himself, "_Of course she's Ladybug. At least we don't have to do this alone anymore...we have each other now_."

"Care to share with the class?" Alya asked, breaking him out of his reverie.

He shook his head. "It's nothing."

"Sorry if I freaked you out. I know you just started dating, and you probably don't want to hear about all her flaws yet. Honestly, I wouldn't worry about it too much if I were you," Alya noted, "Yeah, she sometimes spaces out on us, but you...she would come back from the dead if it meant being able to talk to you."

Adrien thought back fondly to his conversation with Ladybug the previous night. "Our flaws are what make us who we are. They make us human. Marinette may not be perfect, but she is perfect for me...she's perfectly imperfect'."

Alya raised her eyebrows. "That was pretty smooth, Agreste."

"No, I can't take credit for that one," Adrien said, shaking his head, "Those are my girlfriend's words, not mine."

Alya squealed again. "I don't know if I'm ever going to get used to hearing you call her your _girlfriend_."

"She's the greatest thing that's ever happened to me, so you'll be hearing me call her that for a long time."

"Good." Alya suddenly donned a serious expression. "I do have to say one thing, however. As her best friend, I am required to tell you that if you hurt her, I will end you."

Adrien smiled and did his best to appear unaffected by Alya's words. "Rest assured, I would never do anything to hurt my Princess. She is far too precious to me."

Alya snorted. "Jeez, sunshine. You really are a real-life prince charming. No wonder Marinette fell for you."

"She's my soulmate. We complete each other, and our love runs deeper than our shortcomings."

"Wow...that was...just wow…" Alya shook her head and smiled, "Now, if only I could get that girl to text me back!"

"You can go see her after school. I'm sure she'd be more than happy to have you visit," Adrien suggested.

"Aren't _you _going to see her when school is over? As interested as I am in your relationship, I don't really want to get in the way of whatever you two have planned."

"Actually, I have fencing practice right after school, so I won't be there until a little later."

"So I can interrogate her without you there?"

"Yup."

Alya grinned and laughed. "Excellent."

* * *

Marinette spent most of the afternoon hunched over at her project. She was _in the zone_. She carefully cut her pattern, pinned it together, and began constructing the gift. The sewing machine's gentle thrumming soothed her ears and the rapidity of the needle piercing the fabric lulled her into a trance. Muscle-memory guided her as she adjusted the needle's speed using the foot pedal with the same accuracy as a skilled surgeon wielding an expert knife. This was her happy place.

She finished with time to spare. Marinette smiled as she held up a hat made out of soft, black fleece. At the top sat two small cat ears with green accents. It was a simple hat, but she wanted it to blend in with Adrien's fall and winter wardrobes.

"What do you think, Tikki?" she asked, biting her lip.

The Kwami giggled. "I already told you that he will like anything that you make him, but you did a great job. It looks wonderful!"

"Thanks! Now I just need to find something to put it in." Marinette hopped out of her seat and began rummaging through a drawer.

As she pulled out a box, her trap door burst open and landed with a loud thunk on the ground. She screamed and fell onto the floor.

"MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG," Alya boomed, ascending the stairs and walking into the room, "I had a little chat with your _boyfriend _earlier."

"Oh...right...him," she said as she got up and dusted off her skirt.

"That's it? That's all you have to say about '_him_'? I have listened to you gush over Adrien for a year, and now that you're finally dating, you get all quiet? I texted you like ten times, girl!"

Marinette slumped, "I'm sorry. It's been a lot to process. My head was still all weird, and then I started sewing...but I can tell you everything now if you want."

Alya threw her hands into the air. "YES! Finally...details! BUT...before you start, let me make something clear. When that boy asks you to marry him, I expect to know within five minutes."

"Do you really think he'll do that one day? We're so young right now." Marinette asked while a creeping blush made its way up her face.

"Girl, you should have heard what that boy had to say about you this afternoon. He is in love. He even said you were soulmates. Sunshine isn't going anywhere...trust me."

"He really said that?"

"Yes, he did."

"I still can't believe that I'm dating Adrien. Like...I'm his girlfriend. If I walk up to him and kiss him, he'll kiss me back. It's crazy."

"I know, and I'm so happy for you. However, I'm still trying to figure out what happened with you this morning. You didn't seem anxious at all when you came back from the bathroom. You even flirted with him! I thought you were dying!"

Marinette giggled nervously. She decided to tell Alya a half-truth. "Well, I didn't sleep very well last night, and it kind of made me feel fuzzy. Then Adrien came in acting all different, and something clicked in my mind. Adrien flirted with me first, and I rolled with it. I told him that I love him, and then my headache caught up with me. I wound up falling asleep in the nurse's office. Adrien woke me up, asked me out, and took me home. Then my brain finally caught up with what was happening, and I had a panic attack that ended with him kissing me."

Her phone chimed. At the top of all the unopened messages from Alya was a text from Adrien.

**Adrien- **_I can't wait to see you later, Princess. I'll text you when I'm on my way over._

Marinette looked up at her best friend and held out her phone. "And now he's texting me."

She composed a response and pressed send.

**Marinette- **_I can't wait to see you either!_

Alya shook her head and laughed. "That was a rollercoaster from start to finish, but it is so very..._you_."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Only you would start a relationship like that. It's strange, cute, and hilarious all at the same time...just like you."

"You think I'm strange?"

"The strangest, and I don't ever want you to stop being you. Adrien is right when he says that you're amazing. You're the best friend I could have ever asked for."

Marinette crossed the room and hugged her. "Thank you, Alya. You're a wonderful friend."

"You better still be saying that even after I kick your butt in Ultimate Mecha Strike," Alya declared, pointing to Marinette's computer.

"Oh, you are so on! But first...let me finish wrapping this." Marinette held up the hat.

"Did you make that for Adrien? It's awesome. I'm digging the Chat-Noir vibes. If his outfit today was any indication of his interests, he'll love it."

"That was the goal."

Alya paused and scrutinized Marinette's outfit. "You know...you kind of have a Ladybug-ish look going on today. Now that I think about it...you kind of look like her, too."

The Ladyblogger squinted, and Marinette could see the wheels turning in her head. She knew that one reveal was enough for today. The last thing she needed was for Alya to figure out that she was Ladybug.

"_Don't just stand there_," she scolded herself mentally, "_CHANGE THE SUBJECT_!"

She quickly shoved the hat in the box and threw it on her chaise. Marinette then grabbed two controllers and held one out for her best friend to take. "Yeah...haha. Anyway...I hope you're ready to LOSE."

Alya shook herself out of her thoughts and took the controller from Marinette. "I don't think so. I'm definitely going to beat you this time."

Marinette grinned mischievously. "We'll see about that!"

* * *

The second Mr. D'Argencourt ended the practice, Adrien ran to the locker room, changed into his regular clothes, and gathered his things. He couldn't wait to see Marinette again.

Because the Dupain-Cheng Bakery was across the street, his driver wasn't there to pick him up. Upon walking through the store's entrance, Adrien was met by a smiling Sabine.

"Hello, dear," she said cheerfully, "Dinner won't be for another hour or two. Right now, Marinette is up in her room with Alya. Feel free to go on up!"

Before he could answer, Sabine grabbed a bag from one of the shelves and handed it to him.

"Also, these are for you," she continued, "I'm sure you're hungry after fencing practice. I put some in there for you and Marinette to share."

Adrien peeked inside the bag and saw half a dozen chocolate chip cookies. "Thank you so much, Mrs. Cheng. These look amazing."

"Anytime, sweetie!" she said before returning to her place behind the counter.

He made his way into the apartment and walked up the stairs to Marinette's room. He knocked on the hatch and heard a muffled "come in". Adrien happily climbed in. After a quick scan of his surroundings, he saw Marinette and Alya in a heated Ultimate Mecha Strike battle. His girlfriend was winning, and her best friend looked frustrated.

Adrien sauntered over to Marinette's chair and draped his arms around her from behind. He then planted a kiss on her cheek causing her to squeak and drop her controller. This gave Alya enough time to take down Marinette's bot.

"Finally," Alya pumped a fist into the air, "I am VICTORIOUS!"

Marinette frowned. "Hey! That's not fair. I was distracted! I demand a rematch."

Alya shook her head. "Nope! I won."

"You made me lose!" Marinette said, turning her head up towards Adrien's.

"Sorry," he purred into her ear, "I was excited to see you again."

She giggled at his response. "Your hair is tickling my face, kitty!"

Alya stood up from her seat. "And on that note, I will leave you and your 'distraction' to do...uhm...whatever it is you are planning to do. Have fun, lovebirds!"

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Goodbye, Alya. I'll call you later."

"You better!" the journalist called out as she descended the stairs and closed the hatch behind her.

Once they were alone, Adrien pulled his girlfriend out of her chair and held her in a loving embrace. She hugged him back and rested her head on his chest.

"Can I kiss you again, Princess?" he asked quietly.

She looked up and met his eyes. "You are welcome to kiss me whenever you want."

He closed the gap between them and pressed his lips against hers. He could feel her smile as he deepened the kiss. Her hands reached around his neck, and she buried her fingers in his hair. When they eventually pulled apart, he rested his forehead on hers. She leaned in and placed a feathery kiss the tip of his nose. Warmth exploded in his chest. Kissing her would never get old.

"So," she began, peering up at him through her eyelashes, "I have something for you."

Adrien moved his head back to get a better view of her face. "What? Wait...really?"

"Yeah, I designed it a while ago, but something inspired me to make it today."

"You made something for me?"

She nodded, walked over to her chaise, and picked up the gift box. Adrien looked at her in awe as she held out the box for him to take. He lifted the lid and took out the hat.

"This is incredible, Marinette," he noted as he examined the gift, "You are so talented. What did I do to deserve someone as amazing as you?"

She kissed his cheek. "I love making things, and I love you. It was a no-brainer. Besides, I needed to do something to pass the time while I waited for you to come back. I was going crazy."

Adrien popped the hat onto his head and posed. "How do I look?"

Marinette giggled. "You may be a model, but you look like my Chaton."

He melted. "_Your Chaton_...I don't think I'll ever get over hearing you say that."

"Are you going to take off the hat?"

"No."

"You'll get hat hair."

"Good."

She moved her hand to his cheek. "My silly kitty."

He placed his hand on top of hers. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She paused briefly before continuing, "Now, dinner isn't for a while, so what would you like to do? I can get my revenge on you for making me lose to Alya by kicking _your _butt at Ultimate Mecha Strike."

He wiggled his eyebrows and leaned in. "What makes you think you'd win against me?"

"I won the last time we played."

"That was a year ago. Maybe I've been practicing."

"Fine," she said, crossing her arms, "Prove it."

He squinted at her playfully. "You're on!"

The two teens ran over to her computer and played until the start of dinner. During their intense gaming session, they shared the cookies Sabine had given to Adrien.

Out of the twelve rounds they played, Marinette won ten of them. Adrien was having too much fun to care. He was spending time with the love of his life, and his girlfriend's victory dance was adorable. If losing meant that he got to see Marinette jump out of her chair and spin around, he would gladly do so every time.

"Marinette! Adrien!" a muffled voice called from downstairs, "It's time to come down for dinner!"

"Thank God!" Marinette laughed, "Those cookies have completely worn off. I'm starving!"

She grabbed his hand and led him down the stairs and into the kitchen. When they arrived at their destination, he pulled out her chair and then proceeded to take a seat next to her.

"How chivalrous!" Sabine noted with a kind smile, "I'm happy to see that Marinette found a kind young man to be her sweetheart."

Adrien lowered his head and blushed. "Thank you, ma'am. I believe it's important to respect the ones you love."

Sabine leaned over and whispered something in her daughter's ear. Marinette turned red.

"Maman!" she exclaimed through clenched teeth.

Adrien laughed at their exchange, and Marinette swatted his arm. This made him laugh harder.

It was at this moment that Tom entered the room. "Who started the party without me?"

"Hello, dear," Sabine gave her husband a peck on the cheek, "I was commenting on how polite Adrien is. He even pulled out the chair for Marinette."

Tom patted Adrien on the back. "Good job, son."

"Papa!" Marinette buried her head in her hands. "What is with you guys embarrassing me today?"

"We're you're parents, sweetie," Sabine said as she took her place at the table, "It's our job."

"Besides," Tom continued, "thanking Adrien for being a gentleman and treating my daughter well is the _yeast_ I can do."

Adrien looked at Marinette and grinned. "Well, sir, you can _crust_ that I will always be there for Marinette."

Tom turned to his daughter. "Keep him."

Marinette chuckled. "That's the plan, Papa. I don't think I could get rid of him if I tried."

"Good," her father put his arm around Adrien's shoulder, "because it would be nice to have a son, too. If you weren't dating him, I'd adopt him. Anyone who puns like that is okay in my book."

Adrien's eyes filled with tears, and he did his best to stifle a sob.

"Oh, no, sweetie," Sabine rushed over to his side, "Are you okay?"

He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and gave the Dupain-Chengs a watery smile. "Actually, this is the best I've been in a long time. You've made me feel more at home than I am in my own house. Thank you for your kindness."

Sabine hugged him. "Adrien, we meant it when we said that you are always welcome here."

Marinette reached over and squeezed his hand. "I'm sorry you don't feel at home in your house. Maybe we can fix that."

Adrien turned and took her other hand in his. "Princess, none of that matters anymore now that we're together. I'm home whenever I'm with you."

She gasped. "Adrien…"

"Ohmygod, you two are _precious_! Tom, get the camera!" Sabine whispered loudly to her husband, "We'll need this for their wedding in a few years."

Marinette's father hopped up from the table. "You got it!"

As he disappeared into the living room, Marinette's face turned bright red. "MAMAN!"

All Adrien could do was laugh. He never wanted this moment to end. Marinette lit up his world in unimaginable ways. Currently, his greatest desire was to shower her with love and affection.

Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. "_This night isn't over yet. I'm going to sweep my lady off of her feet_."


	7. I'm So Happy It Was You

Hello, lovely readers! Well, it has been a fun and wild ride these past few weeks. Thank you to everyone who has followed this story, and thank you to everyone who left comments. You are all amazing!

I hope you enjoy the last chapter of "Chat for a Day". Now, I'm off to go work on my other fics!

I cross-post on AO3 and on Tumblr.

Tumblr: gryffindorcls (I will be posting my fics to the "Princess In Training" blog. Also, come talk to me over there! I would love to discuss my stories and the Miraculous fandom with y'all!)

AO3: clslovegood47

* * *

When Adrien kissed his girlfriend after dinner and told her that he would see her later at patrol, he sprung into action. He only had a few hours between leaving Marinette's house and the start of what he hoped would be a very romantic evening.

He hopped into the car and waved as the vehicle pulled away from the Dupain-Cheng's bakery. When the car stopped behind the gates of the Agreste Mansion, Adrien vaulted out of the backseat and sprinted into his house. He ran up the stairs and into his room. Once there, he slammed the door behind him and began tearing through his closet. After a few minutes of digging, he finally found the box he had been looking for.

"Kid," Plagg began, "what exactly do you think you are doing right now?"

Adrien looked up at his Kwami with a playful glint in his eyes. "Do you remember the time I set up the rooftop date for Ladybug?"

"You mean the time you ditched your friends...one of which was Ladybug herself...to set up a rooftop date after she told you she was busy? I do, but what does that have to do with that box?

"These are the candles from that date. I'm going to give her the romantic evening we missed out on last time."

"Why would you want to relive that memory?"

"No, Plagg...we're not going to relive it. Don't you see? Knowing each other's identities gives us a second chance. I can still remember the look on Marinette's face when I took her to see the rooftop after Ladybug didn't show up...she thought it was beautiful. Now, I finally get to show her how much she means to me. We've both messed up before, and now we get to hit the reset button. Besides, now I know that she likes snickerdoodles and Disney, so that's a bonus."

"Seems like you've got this all sorted out, Romeo. However, I'm guessing you're going to need my help to pull this off?"

Adrien scratched behind one of Plagg's ears. "I promise there's extra cheese in your future."

"Fine," Plagg crossed his arms, "but only because the fate of Paris hinges on this relationship working out."

"Is that why you texted me using Marinette's phone earlier today? Because...as I said before...please don't ever do that again. It's weird."

"You and Marinette are stronger together. You'll start to see it soon. Kid, you're young, and you've barely begun to scratch the surface of what you are capable of doing with your Miraculous."

"So, now that Marinette and I are together, we'll get more powers?"

"Something like that. It has to do with the bond of trust between the two of you. Your growth as a hero requires balance. You were broken without each other, and now you are whole."

"No...I understand. I think I can feel that. It's like something was missing before, and now I feel...complete? I don't know if that's the right word. Do you know what I mean?"

"Yeah kid I do," Plagg turned away from Adrien and mumbled his next statement. "And it's nice to see you happy for a change."

Adrien put his hand up to his ear and grinned. "I'm sorry. Could you say that again? I didn't quite catch what you just said."

Plagg rolled his eyes. "Ugh...I said that it's nice to see you happy for a change. Jeez."

"You do care!"

"Of course I care! You're the best chosen I've ever had. No one else has given me as much cheese as you do."

"I love you, too, Plagg," Adrien responded, reaching out to cup the Kwami in his hands, "Thanks for looking out for me."

The tiny being nuzzled his chosen's hand. "Anytime, kid."

"Are you ready to go?"

"Just say the words."

"PLAGG, CLAWS OUT!"

* * *

When Adrien kissed her goodbye when he left after dinner, Marinette felt like she was floating on air. She would have been disappointed to see him leave, but she smiled knowing that they would see each other again in a few hours.

After waving goodbye, she returned to her room and collapsed onto her chaise in a squealing heap. She grabbed a pillow and held it close to her body as she blissfully recalled the past few hours.

"You look happy, Marinette," Tikki noted, zipping over to her chosen.

"I'm more than happy. I don't know if there are any words to really describe how I feel right now. I guess...complete might be the closest word. Adrien makes me feel whole. I don't know. Am I making any sense?" She sighed contentedly and sunk further into her chaise.

"I wasn't lying when I told you that you and Adrien were soulmates. He probably feels the same way right now. By fully trusting each other, you two can now start to unlock more of your powers and become better heroes. You and Chat Noir were always meant to be equal partners, but you had two had to figure all of this out on your own. It's part of the process."

Marinette scrunched her face in confusion. "Wait...if we were supposed to figure it out on our own, then why did you and Plagg text Adrien using my phone while I was asleep? Don't think I didn't see those messages. Only you two could have sent them."

Tikki looked down. "I'm sorry, Marinette. I didn't mean to invade your privacy. Yes, you did need to come to your own conclusions, but sometimes a little divine intervention is necessary. Hawkmoth is getting stronger...especially now that he has Mayura. I was even going to suggest that you two reveal yourselves soon."

"Wait...I'm confused. How would having you tell me what to do have helped us become equals?"

"I wouldn't have told you to do anything. You would have had the power to make the final decision...not me. We Kwamis can't make our holders do anything. Our holders actually have a lot of power over us, and that's why it was so important to find the right people to wield the Miraculouses."

"Is that why Hawkmoth's Kwami can't get away?"

"Yes, and poor Nooroo is stuck until we can save him. However, now that you and Chat Noir are equals, we are that much closer to defeating Hawkmoth."

"Were you ever trapped by an evil wielder?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Many of the Kwamis have fallen into the wrong hands before. Luckily, I have a pretty amazing Ladybug this time!" Tikki proclaimed with a smile.

Marinette reached out to cup the tiny red being in her hands. "I love you, Tikki."

"I love you, too, Marinette!"

"Do you want to watch _Tangled _until we have to go out for patrol?"

"Yes, please!"

* * *

When Chat Noir touched down at their usual meeting spot Ladybug was already waiting for him. She looked up and smiled.

"Hello, kitty." She held out her arms and beckoned him over for a hug.

Chat happily obliged and walked into her embrace. "Good evening, my lady."

They held each other for a moment before backing away. Ladybug traced the outlines of his suit's pockets and nodded with approval. "I like the new detailing."

"Huh?"

"You didn't notice? There's green piping around your pockets. It looks good...it matches your eyes."

Chat looked down and scrutinized the new additions to his suit.

"I guess I didn't," he shrugged.

"Then I suppose that means you didn't see my little makeover." She backed away and did a quick spin in front of him.

Chat smiled as he watched his girlfriend show off her new look. Her suit was no longer a solid pattern of red with black polka dots. Instead, she now had what appeared to be black boots and gloves.

"Very stylish, Bugaboo," he commented, offering her a toothy grin.

She playfully swatted at his arm. "You're such a flirt."

He crossed his arms. "But I'm your flirt."

"Yeah, you are." She moved her face closer to his and placed a small peck on his cheek.

Chat wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. "As cool as these new additions to our suits are...what do you think they mean? Plagg told me that the change in our relationship would cause us to become more powerful."

Ladybug moved her hands to the back of his head and started playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. "Tikki told me pretty much the same thing. So, maybe? Who can say? All I know is that I feel like I'm ready for anything as long as I'm with you. Hawkmoth doesn't stand a chance now."

He rested his forehead against hers. "I couldn't have said it better myself, my lady."

"I'm so happy it was you," she whispered into his ear.

Chat felt a rumbling start in his larynx and spread throughout his body. He nuzzled his head in the crook of her neck, and she giggled in response.

"I knew you could purr!" she exclaimed.

"Only when I'm with you," he cooed, "I have a surprise for you."

"Oh, really?" She raised an eyebrow.

The purring stopped as he backed away. "Yup! Follow me, Bugaboo!"

He unsheathed his baton and vaulted into the Parisian night. The familiar zing of Ladybug's yoyo sounded behind him. In less than a minute, he touched down on a beautifully decorated rooftop. Just like his previous attempt, the space was lined with candles and rose petals; however, unlike before a box full of cookies and a computer sat on a blanket.

"Chaton...it's beautiful." She moved her hands to cover her mouth.

He waved his arm in a flourish. "I thought we could try this again. Also, this time I have snickerdoodles and _Beauty and the Beast_."

"I think a do-over is a wonderful idea. It's beautiful, kitty."

"Not as beautiful as you, my lady."

He led her to the blanket, and they sat down together. Chat Noir pulled her close and wrapped an arm around her torso. She cuddled against his chest and looked up at his face.

"Thank you, Chat. I could stay here forever with you."

"That's exactly what I thought while I was eating dinner at your house tonight."

"Ugh...dinner. I'm sorry. My parents love embarrassing me."

He laughed. "Your mom made you turn so red! What did she whisper in your ear to make you blush like that?"

She sighed and dropped her head. "She said that she couldn't wait to help me pick out a wedding dress one day."

"Well, I'm sure that whatever you two pick out will be gorgeous...just like you." He used his index finger to lightly tap her on the nose.

Ladybug shook her head. "We're only 15."

"So? I didn't say I was going to marry you today. Just you wait! In a few years, we'll look back on this moment, and I'll be able to say 'I told you so'...kind of like how I can say it now that you're dating me. I always knew that Ladybug would fall in love with Chat Noir."

"How long are you going to hold that one over my head?"

"Hmmmm….let's see. How about forever? As long as you don't mind me sticking around that long."

She put her hand on the side of his face. "Forever sounds nice, but I do believe you're slipping, Chat Noir. You seem to have missed out on the _purr-fect _opportunity for a pun."

He grinned. "Please, enlighten me."

"I think you meant to say that we would be together _fur-ever_."

"Be still, my heart! You really are my soulmate!"

Ladybug laughed, turned her head, and kissed him on the lips. "And you're my other half."

Chat Noir rubbed his cheek on her hair. "This was the best day of my life."

"It only gets better from here, Chaton."

They once again closed the space between them and kissed.

**Epilogue**

Alya sat on her bed clacking away on her laptop's keyboard. Nino quietly hummed a song while scrolling through his phone as he lounged next to her.

She released an exasperated sigh, and Nino looked up from his device. He placed a hand on her knee and gave her a concerned look.

"What's wrong, babe? That's the second time today I've seen you this frustrated. Does it have something to do with Marinette again?" he asked.

"Actually, yeah, it does," she responded, "There's something she said today that isn't sitting well with me."

"What is it?"

"She called Adrien 'kitty'."

Nino rubbed his chin. "Well, maybe it's just a nickname she made up for him. Adrien called her 'Princess' when we were talking to him in class."

"I know, but there was something about the way she said it that felt familiar." Suddenly, her eyes brightened with recognition. "OH. MY. GOD."

"What?"

"I'm going to kill her Nino! And then I'm going to take out Sunshine!"

"What are you talking about?"

Alya pulled up a video of Ladybug and Chat Noir on her computer and turned the screen towards her confused boyfriend. She hit play.

"Now's not the time for games, kitty! We need to get that Akuma!" Ladybug shouted in the clip.

"Babe, you're not telling me that you think Marinette is Ladybug just because she called her boyfriend 'kitty', right?" Nino moved his hand to her shoulder.

"Nino, that's exactly what I'm saying." Alya could feel the fire in her eyes.

"What makes you so sure?"

"Marinette dressed like Ladybug today, and she totally freaked when I made the comparison. She always disappears during Akuma attacks, and she's constantly making the _lamest _excuses. One time she told me that she had to give her neighbor's fish a bath. Like...what? I've always had a theory that Adrien was Chat Noir, and now she's calling him 'kitty'...just like Ladybug."

Alya's phone went off. She tapped on the screen to see that someone had anonymously sent her a clip of Ladybug and Chat Noir snuggling on a roof near the Dupain-Cheng's bakery. She turned her phone to show Nino the video.

"See? What are the odds that both Adrien and Marinette AND Ladybug and Chat Noir start relationships on the same day? Our Parisian superheroes have always been close, but they've never snuggled on a candlelit rooftop."

"Are you sure it's them?"

Alya grabbed Nino by the shoulders. "Think about it. Who else would have picked _us_ to be Rena Rouge and Carapace? It _has _to be them."

Nino paused to contemplate the situation. Then, eyes grew wide. "Ohmygod...you're right! But what are we supposed to do now? Like, should we tell them that we know?"

Alya rubbed her hands together. "Oh, don't worry. We'll tell them eventually, but we're gonna mess with them first."


End file.
